Badge And Tie
by CUtopia
Summary: A collection of drabbles about Barson in any form.
1. One Piece Of Clothing

This is the first time I'm writing Barson, so if you should have any suggestions to improve, don't hesitate to tell me! Also, if you have any drabble wishes, write them into the review section or PM me :)

I hope you like it!

(165 Words)

* * *

 **One Piece Of Clothing**

It had been itching in her fingers for quite some time.

Every single time they'd met right before court, Olivia's eyes had flickered down for a brief second, her gaze wandering over that single piece of clothing. Barba never noticed this glance, or didn't know what it was about, and she never acted on the impulse that seemed to make her fingers twitch.

Until today, that was.

They'd been out for lunch earlier, and now they were standing in front of the courtroom again, for the seemingly thousandth time. However, for the first time, she reached up, her fingers gently wrapping around his tie. He'd went for a casual one today; dark blue with white polka dots, and she found that she liked this one.

Looking up into his eyes, a small smile played around Olivia's lips while she straightened his tie, her fingers lingering for a moment before they turned and walked into the courtroom, side by side.


	2. Early Mornings

(180 Words)

Thank you for the reviews, favs and follows so far! :)

* * *

 **Early Mornings**

Rafael rolled over with a tired groan, trying to block out the rays of the sun that were tickling his face as they filtered through the half-closed curtains of the bedroom. Upon turning, his arm draped over the woman lying next to him, and he shuffled closer, burying his nose in her hair without opening his eyes. A hand lazily grasped his shirt while he inhaled the scent of her shampoo and pulled her against his body.

Olivia cuddled into him with a small, sleepy sigh and the moment was so peaceful...

Suddenly, a delighted squeal broke the wonderful silence and a second later, the air was forced out of Rafael's lungs as a small body landed on his chest and short arms slung around his neck.

"Noah... it's to early..." Rafael protested, opening one eye, only to see Noah's wide smile, which indicated that he wanted to play with him. He couldn't say no when the boy looked at him like that – he seemed to have copied that expression from Olivia.


	3. Talk

(260 Words)

* * *

 **Talk**

"Sorry, mamí, I got delayed at work," Rafael explained the very moment his mother opened the door, offering her a bouquet of flowers that he'd picked up on the way to his mother's home. A knowing smile made its way onto Lucia's face as she stepped to the side and let her son in, taking the flowers from him.

"You're working too much, Rafi," she answered while he took his coat off. "But don't worry, the dinner is still warm. So, who held you back today?"

They made their way into the kitchen where Lucia grabbed a vase for the flowers, and Rafael, running a hand over his face, answered: "I was bribed to take over another case for the SVU. Had to go over some details with the responsible detective. She's driving me crazy."

Lucia cocked an eyebrow, a smirk curling her lips as she etched closer and asked: "A lady? Who is she?"

"Olivia Benson. I can hardly remember a detective I worked with that is as insistent and committed as she is..."

Only as he spoke he realised that his mother was giving him a meaningful glance, and that he may have had something like a tiny, dreamy expression while speaking.

"Mamí..."

"I'm not saying anything, son, I'm just glad that there is a woman who can drive you crazy." Lucia winked at him, which caused Rafael to roll his eyes.

"Stop jumping to weird conclusions. It's not like _that_..."

"That's how it always starts."


	4. A Moment Above The City

Written for the Weekly Drabble Prompt of _The Barson Daily_ (Tumblr)

 **Prompt:** midnight

(220 Words)

* * *

 **A Moment Above The City**

It was nearly midnight, and they were still sitting on the roof of Olivia's apartment building, drinking beer and talking about everything that came to their minds – sports, food, travel. Neither of them wanted to leave; they'd just finished a hard case about child prostitution and both Olivia and Rafael felt like they needed something to distract them from all the horrible things they'd witnessed in the last weeks.

Then, midnight was long gone and the city lights were still gleaming, and the sound of sirens was carried to them by the wind, and they watched and listened in silence. Only from time to time one of them would tell a joke, and no matter how bad it was, the other one would always laugh, as that helped to forget, even if only for a short time.

And for one beautiful moment, they were just two people sitting on a rooftop, Olivia and Rafael, not Detective Benson and ADA Barba. For one moment, they were just friends who were enjoying to spend some time together. They looked each other in the eyes and smiled, as if they had no worries in the world.

But then, Olivia's phone buzzed, and the magic was broken, because New York never slept, and the evil did neither.


	5. Footing

Written for the Weekly Drabble Prompt of _The Barson Daily_ (Tumblr)

 **Prompt:** midnight

(260 Words)

* * *

 **Footing**

The first thing that had impressed Rafael about Olivia was her strength and her determination, and even after all these cases that they'd worked on together, these were still the qualities that fascinated him most about her. She was never giving up, at least that was what he'd thought.

But now, as he found her in a shady bar around midnight, having searched for her for nearly the whole evening, he had to see that even Olivia Benson could reach a point where she wasn't able to take another step forwards.

It took some time to get her into the taxi, and even more to get her out again and into her apartment. When he'd found her, she'd been too drunk to form coherent sentences, but as he navigated her into her hallway, she seemed to be able to remember why she'd been drinking in the first place.

He was trying to sooth her as she sobbed into his shirt, and he could feel the amount of pain and guilt that she was carrying on her shoulders. She was clinging to him as if he was the anchor that held her back from drifting away in the stormy sea.

Rafael didn't know how it happened, especially as he wasn't the type of man who would take advantage of a situation, but at some point, he kissed her. She tasted of scotch, tears and something that was definitely Olivia, and he could feel her relax in his arms. Maybe even she sometimes needed something that gave her her footing back.


	6. Olivia's Idiots

(225 Words)

* * *

 **Olivia's Idiots**

Olivia was fuming as she stormed down the hallway towards the office of ADA Barba. Her face was contorted in anger as she pushed his door open without knocking; she was ready to drag him by his damn suspenders if it was necessary. She'd been sure that after what she'd done to him last time, he wouldn't dare to repeat it, but obviously she'd been wrong.

Rafael didn't look up from the files she was working on as she slammed the door shut behind her and glared at him; if looks could kill, he would have fallen from his chair already.

"Olivia," he greeted her calmly and raised his finger as she opened her mouth to start ranting, gesturing towards the coffee table by his leather couch in the corner. She looked over, and all anger faded immediately as she saw the huge paper box with the logo of her favourite bakery.

"Noah and I wanted to have a taste. And as I know how much you love the cake, I bought you a whole to make up for the piece your naughty boys took from you."

"You're an idiot, Rafi," she sighed, walking over and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You both."

"We're your idiots," Rafael grinned and cupped her face to kiss her softly.


	7. Babysitter

I would like to thank you for all the reviews, favourites and follows, and also just for reading this! It gives me a lot of motivation :)

Also, if you have any wishes, don't be afraid to tell me! :)

(360 Words)

* * *

 **Babysitter**

If she was honest, Olivia had been rather sceptic about having Rafael babysit Noah for a whole day. Of course, she trusted him, and she knew that Noah and Rafael were getting along very well, but Rafael also didn't have so much experience with children. However, as Rafael had been the only one who'd had time on such short notice, she hadn't had any choices.

It was already very late, later than she'd preferred, as she unlocked the door to her apartment and tip-toed in, trying not to fall over all the toys that were lying on the floor. A small smile played around her lips; the boys had obviously been having so much fun that they'd forgot to take care of the mess they were leaving behind.

As it was so quiet in the apartment, she assumed that Noah was already in bed, but that left the question where Rafael was. She was sure that he wouldn't have just left, he'd promised to wait for her to come home.

Olivia made her way towards the door to Noah's room, nearly breaking her neck as she stumbled over a toy. The gleam of Noah's nightlight was coming through the gap of the slightly open door, and as Olivia entered the room, she could feel her heart melt.

Noah was lying on his bed in his pyjama, fast asleep in the arms of Rafael, and the two were snoring in unison, looking exhausted but content. Rafael's fingers were loosely clutching one of Noah's favourite bedtime books, and Olivia carefully took it and put it on the nightstand.

This was a completely different Rafael Barba than the one she knew – this Barba was wearing jeans and a grey t-shirt that had spots of tomato sauce on it, his short black hair was disheveled and the faint shadow of a beard was lying over his cheekbones. Olivia found that this Barba looked at least just as handsome as the Barba she knew from work, and she couldn't keep herself from pressing a kiss to his cheek after giving Noah his goodnight kiss.


	8. Comfortableness

A wish from Benoight Langson! I hope you like it!

(470 Words)

* * *

 **Comfortableness**

Olivia groaned as her body slowly sank into the warm water in her tub, her aching muscles slowly starting to relax. Closing her eyes, she inhaled the soft vanilla scent of her favourite bubble bath and leaned back.

She'd had a horrible day; there'd been a raid today, and one of the bastards selling pornography of small girls had shoved her down a small flight of stairs while trying to flee. Thanks to the warm water and the few sips of wine she'd already had, the pain started to fade by now, and she was looking forward to a quiet evening...

Suddenly, the door to the bathroom was ripped open and Olivia glared at the intruder, who frowned while loosening his scarlet and blue tie, growling: "Don't ask. Just make some space, okay?"

Rafael undressed himself and threw his clothes carelessly onto the tiled floor, taking a huge gulp from her wine before climbing into the tub behind her, releasing the same groan as Olivia earlier as the water splashed around him.  
He slung his arms around her and Olivia leaned back against his chest, smiling as he pressed a kiss onto her cheek and whispered: "I'm so glad that I have you, Liv."

"Seems like your day was just as bad as mine," she answered and turned her head so she could give him a short peck onto the lips. Rafael's fingers traced the sore spots on her back and she assumed that the bruises were already starting to form.

"What happened?" He asked, concern making his voice shake, and she had to give him a reassuring smile to convince him that she was okay.  
"Took a little tumble down some stairs. My bulletproof vest cushioned the fall."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I'm okay, Rafi, I really am. And I knew that you couldn't use any disturbances while preparing for the Grand Jury," she explained, and he carefully held her tighter, as if he was afraid that she might disappear.  
"You're never disturbing me," he whispered and buried his face in her neck, his breath tickling her skin.

"But you would have been too worried to concentrate, no matter how often I would have told you that I'm okay, and that the doctor said so, too."

She gently ran her fingertips up the muscular arms that were slung around her and smirked as she suggested: "You can kiss the spots to make it better."

Rafael's chuckle made her whole body vibrate pleasantly and Olivia closed her eyes as his lips and fingers started to wander, the memories of the day that lay behind her fading from her mind within seconds. The only feeling that stayed behind now was a warm, intimate comfortableness with the man she loved.


	9. Dopey

(250 Words)

* * *

 **Dopey**

Rafael had never thought that he would ever see Olivia in such a state as she was in right now, and no matter how serious it was, he still couldn't help but grin and enjoy. After all, you didn't see the fierce, strong Lieutenant Olivia Benson babbling nonsense and telling every single colleague that she love them every day. When he'd heard that she'd been injured, he'd of course immediately rushed to the hospital, only to learn that she was alright and full to the brim with painkillers.

Trying to be a good friend, he decided to sit with her for a while, and he definitely didn't regret that decision.

A dopey Olivia was probably the most amusing sight he'd had in quite some time, and he actually made a mental note to himself to tease her about her frantic love declarations to him, Fin, Carisi and every single male doctor that walked past her room.

But the most adorable sight for Rafael was when she got sleepy and lay on her side, smiling at him with a dreamy expression. He was holding her hand, watching how her lids seemed to be getting heavier with every moment, and suddenly she whispered: "I really like you, Rafi... You're a handsome man... and your ass is so cute..."

"Sleep now, Liv," Rafael softly said, squeezing her hand and shaking his head with a smile. "You can tell me about my ass tomorrow."


	10. Daddy

(220 Words)

* * *

 **Daddy**

Rafael didn't feel particularly confident around kids, especially around younger ones, and so it overwhelmed him a little bit when Noah came to him and wanted to play with him whenever he happened to be in Olivia's apartment. The boy would look at him with his big puppy eyes and even though he was just supposed to pick her up for a court appointment, he couldn't resist. Building something with toy blocks or helping the boy to paint something was fun, and he caught himself offering to pick Olivia up more often than necessary.

Not only because he wanted to spend some time alone with her, but also because of Noah, who always looked so excited when Rafael visited. Maybe a little bit too excited...

"Daddy, luk!" Noah exclaimed, his short fingers pointing at the picture he was drawing, and behind him, Rafael could hear Olivia choke on her orange juice. He blinked in surprise and cleared his throat, throwing Olivia an awkward glance before sitting down next to Noah to examine the picture. If he was honest, it did feel strangely good, even though 'daddy' wasn't truly 'daddy'. And also Olivia's smirk warmed his heart, and he swore to himself that he would ask her out for dinner today.


	11. A Different Piece Of Clothing

Once again, I have to thank you guys a lot. I've never had so many reviews on one story, and I'm grateful about every single one of them! You are amazing! :)

Inspired by a prompt found on Tumblr

(270 Words)

* * *

 **A Different Piece Of Clothing**

"Come on, Noah, quick, let's get out of these wet clothes." Olivia and little Noah were jittering as they entered the apartment, loads of snow still clinging to their clothes. The winter had New York City in its grip, and it had been snowing the whole day long. Noah of course found that exciting, and so they'd been in the park for quite some time, building a giant snowman. But now, as they entered their home, Olivia could feel that her feet were reduced to ice clumps, and all she wanted now was a hot chocolate and a cuddly blanket.

After helping Noah to change, she stood in front of her own wardrobe, searching for the warmest clothes she had. Fluffy socks, sweatpants, a worn NYPD t-shirt... and then she suddenly held something in her hands she'd nearly forgotten about. If she would ever tell someone that Rafael Barba owned any other clothing items than suits, the person probably wouldn't believe her.

But here she stood, slipping on a deep blue wool cardigan that he'd given her weeks ago when they'd been working late and she'd felt cold. It still smelled like him, even though she herself had worn it quite often – cuddling into the slightly too big cardigan was feeling oddly comforting.

One day he would surely notice that the item was missing, and she would have to return it, but until then, she would wear it and pretend that it was completely normal to cuddle into a friend's cardigan because she liked the scent.


	12. I Lost You

Weekly Drabble Prompt of thebarsondaily (Tumblr): Regret

A guest reviewer wished for the "missing scene" from the episode where Barba finds out about Tuckson – I have to admit, I barely remember the episode, so I hope this has something to do with what you meant. If not, could you give details?

(290 Words)

* * *

 **I Lost You**

" _Wait... are you involved with him?"_

Olivia had long left Rafael's office, but he could still feel the disbelief shooting through his body. He was sitting behind his desk, an open file lying in front of him, but he could barely concentrate on it. Every few seconds, his gaze left the lines he was supposed to be reading, wandering aimlessly through the room, then to the door, as if he was hoping that Olivia would come back through the door.

If he was honest with himself, it had hurt a lot when he'd realised that she was defending Tucker because she loved him. Something had broken inside of him, a hope that he would never have admitted he had – the hope that he would find the right time and place to tell her that to him, she was more than a friend by now.

Over all their late night work sessions and the conversations, he'd fallen in love with her. Not head over heels, but slowly, steadily, a little bit more every day, with every smile. But he'd hidden it, because he'd been afraid that she didn't return his feelings, and that it would destroy their friendship.

And now, it was too late, and he asked himself if it was possible to lose something you never had.

Rafael Barba had rarely ever regretted something in his life. It wasn't like him to ponder, but today, he felt more regret than ever before in his life. He hadn't told her how much she meant to him, and who knew if he would ever get the chance to do it.

The way his heart was aching, it definitely felt like a loss.


	13. Wild Woman

Weekly Drabble Prompt of thebarsondaily (Tumblr): Regret

I think I'll slip a drabble inspired by film music in from time to time^^ Because it's kinda fun.

(300 Words)

* * *

 **Wild Woman**

* * *

 _Wild women do_

 _And they don't regret it_

 _Wild women show_

 _What they're goin' through_

 _Wild women do_

 _What you think they'll never_

 _What you only dream about_

 _Wild women do._

Natalie Cole – Wild Women Do

* * *

Rafael Barba had never claimed that he understood women or their actions, and though he knew Olivia Benson pretty good in his opinion, she sometimes did things that were surprising him. Or would potentially have swept him off his feet in this case, hadn't he been seated.

When she stormed into his office, he thought that she wanted to discuss about why he'd withdrew the charges against the suspect of their current case, but before he could open his mouth, she had already walked around his desk and grabbed him by his tie.

Rafael's eyes were wide as she leaned down to him with a smirk, her brown eyes sparkling in amusement. He needed a moment to process what was actually happening as she pressed her lips onto his, engaging him into a passionate kiss.

After being frozen for a second, he began to kiss her back, feeling dizzy and maybe a little bit confused – but it was also feeling good. Shivers ran down his spine, and he lifted his shaking hand to cup her face, his heart racing in his chest. It seemed like his office and the whole world were fading away, and only Olivia and her lips were left in the universe.

Unfortunately, she suddenly broke kiss, licking her lips with a smug smirk and then she turned around on her heel, walking out of the office, leaving him staring after her.

Minutes later, as he was wiping her lipstick away, his phone buzzed and he received a message from her, saying _"I don't regret that."_


	14. Cheating Noah

Tumblr Prompt: "Don't act all innocent, I've seen how you cheat during Scrabble."

(200 Words)

* * *

 **Cheating Noah**

Noah smiled smugly at Rafael while turning the memory cards on the table over, finding one pair after the other and putting the cards onto the pile at his side of the table.

"Are you playing alone? Why did you need me if you're doing this on your own anyway?" Rafael asked, not looking exactly happy. "I think you're cheating, Noah!"

"I'm not," the boy answered innocently, smiling sweetly at him.

Rafael pointed his finger at him in a playful tone, stating: "Don't act all innocent, I've seen how you cheat during Scrabble. Olivia! Our son is cheating at Memory!"

Olivia, who was sitting on the couch with her laptop, doing some work, wasn't even looking up from the screen as she responded: "Noah, let your dad win once or twice so he doesn't feel like he's an old, demented man."

"Thank you for the support, corazón!" Rafael sighed, shaking his head with a smirk while Olivia smiled at his back. "I love you both anyway."

"We love you, too, dad. Even though you're really bad at Memory," Noah babbled while turning over the next two cards, giving Rafael a cheeky grin.


	15. Beach Day

(300 Words)

* * *

 **Beach Day**

The sun was burning down from the baby blue sky, making the ocean in front of Olivia sparkle. Not a single cloud was showing itself, and Olivia smiled as she let the waves of the Atlantic splash around her ankles, the water cooling her sun-heated skin.

She'd been waiting so long for this weekend off; it was difficult to arrange Rafael's and her work schedules sometimes, but now it had finally worked out. They'd been planning to take Rafael to the beach for quite some time, and it had been a disappointment for the boy whenever they'd been forced to cancel.

Behind her, she could hear her boys laugh; when she'd gotten up from her deck chair earlier, they'd been building a giant fort out of sand, digging into the beach and piling up walls.

"Mum, mum, look!" Noah suddenly exclaimed, and she turned around, immediately starting to laugh loudly, tears of joy filling her eyes. Noah was holding his blue plastic shovel up proudly while gesturing at the floor, and Olivia grinned as she walked closer, the sand clinging to her wet feet.

"Interesting," she said, her gaze raking over the form of her husband, who was covered by a giant heap of sand, only his head sticking out. Kneeling down next to him, she ruffled through his hair and put one of Noah's buckets onto his head, causing Noah to giggle.

"Now that you've had your fun, would you help me out of here, Liv?" Rafael asked, a pleading expression on his face, but Olivia only shook her head, chuckling.

"Oh no. Not yet. Now that I've got you immobilised, I would like to discuss last night again, where you were too tired to fulfill your duties as my husband..."


	16. Too Much Energy

I just had a caramel macchiatto, and now I'm buzzing. Sorry if anything is a mess here XD

(520 Words)

* * *

 **Too Much Energy**

Olivia's morning had been nice at first – she'd woken to the sun tickling her face and the sound of the birds singing in front of her window. Cuddled into her warm blankets, she'd turned over, only to jump in panic as she saw the time on the clock.

She was late, _very_ late, and stumbled through her apartment, showering and getting dressed in record time; she still felt sleepy, and as she ran down the street, she took the minute to stop at her favourite coffee cart, grabbing two coffees, which she drank in record time.

Arriving at the precinct, Fin informed her that there were tons of paperwork waiting for her in her office. She could feel the caffeine rushing through her veins, making her body quiver, and it gave her a push. The stacks of files were so high that she decided to have another coffee one hour after arriving, and she didn't really register how her hands started to shake from that – until she saw the hieroglyphs that she'd scribbled into one of the files.

By noon, she could barely sit still, cup number four taking effect, but at least she was making progress, typing down anything that she had to add to the files. All her detectives eyed her oddly when she buzzed through the squad room, and she could sense that Fin was on the brink to sending her home.

Around late afternoon, Barba knocked at her office door; Olivia was pacing while reading a file, unable to stay seated. He eyed her with an expression of confusion, and Olivia guessed that she was looking _slightly_ disheveled – she'd been running her hand through her hair all day, and she felt like she was shaking so much that even the people in New Jersey could sense it.

"What happened to you, Sergeant?"

Olivia stopped, gesturing with her free hand wildly, nearly hitting him in the face as she answered: "Don't ask, horrible day, too much coffee."

"You look like a mess," Rafael said, chuckling and placing his briefcase onto her visitor chair.  
"Oh gosh, you know exactly what a woman wants to hear, Barba."

He grinned, and she could tell that he would tease her about this in the future. Rolling her eyes, she asked: "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk about the Robson case with you, but I feel like you need to do something else now."

"What?"

"Meet me at six in front of your apartment block, in running clothes."

"Oh no."

"Oh yes."

OoO

Olivia and Rafael slumped onto one of the benches in Central Park, both panting heavily. Taking deep breaths, Olivia wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"How do you feel now?" Rafael asked, checking his watch to see for how long they'd been running.

"Exhausted. That's good," Olivia replied, laughing breathlessly. "Thank you."

Rafael grinned and patted her shoulder, mumbling: "Next time, just keep your hands away from the coffee. I can't do this more than once a year..."


	17. How To Save A Life

(Tumblr) thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt: **bruise**

(300 Words)

* * *

 **How To Save A Life**

It all happened so fast that Rafael wasn't able to react at all. One minute, he was walking down the stairs of the courthouse, in the other, a man was emerging from the crowd of journalists, the metal of his gun gleaming in the sunlight. He was frozen in shock, doing nothing else but stare as the man aimed at him.

It seemed like everything was far away; the sounds of people screaming were muffled, and his blood was rushing in his ears. In this moment, he knew that he was going to die.

The gunshots rung in his ears, and in the same second, he felt something hit him; a momentum was throwing him to the ground, and something, _someone_ was lying on top of him. His head hurt, pain pounding through the back of his head, and then, there was darkness.

Rollins and Carisi were there when he woke up, and a minute later, they tried in vain to hold him back from leaving the bed; the words 'Benson threw herself in front of you and caught the bullets' were enough to make him forget his dizziness. Though he would probably regret running around in a hospital gown as soon as the fear had disappeared.

Without knocking, he burst through the door of the patient room, her name on his lips.

"Ever heard of knocking, Barba?" Olivia growled, hurrying to grab her blouse from the bed, but he still had enough time to look at the giant bruise at her back.

Before she could say anything else, he pulled her into an embrace; for an agonising moment, he'd thought she had died saving him, and the relief to see her alive was the most wonderful feeling he'd ever experienced.


	18. The Big We

(250 Words)

* * *

 **The Big "We"**

"It's nice we finally found time to do this," Sonny smiled as the waiter showed them to their table and handed them the menus as soon as they were seated.

"Yes, we've been looking forward to this," Rafael answered, his fingers brushing over the back of Olivia's hand briefly. They were in Olivia's favourite restaurant with Amanda and Sonny to eat dinner – or have a double date, as Fin as put it. He'd been teasing them about that all day long.

"Do we want red wine, darling?" Rafael asked, looking Olivia into the eye longer than necessary, and Amanda gave them a funny look.

"Didn't we want fish? White would fit better," Olivia responded, and Sonny threw Amanda a confused glance about the way they were suddenly talking with each other. "Oh, by the way, we discovered a cute Greek restaurant."

From the corner of his eye, Sonny could see how Amanda cringed and dug her fingernails into the white tablecloth before she hissed: "What the hell is wrong with you? I swear, if you continue this all evening I'm going to kill myself with a fork."

Rafael smirked and looked at his watch, cocking his head to the side before pulling a fifty dollar note out of his pocket. Amanda and Sonny stared at them with wide eyes as Olivia took the money from him, grinning. "Told you they would only last a few minutes."


	19. It's Not Too Late

A Thank You drabble for scintillateworld (Tumblr). I hope you like it!

(440 Words)

* * *

 **It's Not Too Late**

"Tucker asked me to marry him."

She said these words so suddenly, so randomly that Rafael was completely shocked for a whole minute, unable to do anything else but stare at her with wide eyes, his pen hanging in the air above the piece of paper he'd been scribbling at.

The words and their meaning slowly sunk in, and he gulped; it was as if she'd kicked him in the guts. Somewhere deep inside of him, a throbbing pain started to spread, and it took him a lot of self-control to sound normal as he said: "Oh. That's nice."

His gaze flickered over her fingers; no sign of an engagement ring, and she also wasn't wearing anything at her necklace. Also, her face didn't show any trace of happiness; all he could see was doubt.

"I said that I need time to think about it."

Her voice was quiet, and Rafael realised something. This was probably the last chance to tell her what she really meant to him, but he had to make this subtly, find a good way to enter the topic...

"I've loved you for years," he blurted out, biting his tongue seconds later and asking himself what the hell was wrong with him.

Olivia looked up from her hands, confusion open in her gaze, and Rafael was sure that she would leave immediately and never come back.

"Is... is that true?" she asked tentatively, and his heart jumped as he detected the tiniest flicker of hope in her voice.

Gathering all his courage, he stood up and walked around his desk, kneeling down in front of her chair.

"Yes. I love you, Olivia. I just wanted you to know before... before you go and marry him. I just... just wanted to know how it would feel to tell you this."

They looked each other into the eyes for a very long moment, Rafael feeling a mixture of sadness and relief, then she whispered: "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For finally saying it," she answered, tears shimmering in her brown eyes as she leaned forwards and their lips touched in a soft, nearly shy kiss. Rafael cupped her face and allowed himself to imagine for a short moment that she was his.

They parted far too soon for his liking, but to his surprise, she smiled, mumbling: "That's the kind of help I needed to come to a decision."

And then she kissed him again, helping him to realise that this wasn't a dream, and that he hadn't been too late.


	20. Our Awesomeness

(340 Words)

* * *

 **Our Awesomeness**

"And the best award for the best Halloween costume this year goes to..." Fin announced, making a pause to make the tension grow while unfolding the piece of paper with the winner's name on it. "Benson and Barba for their James Bond and his Bond girl costume!"

Everybody applauded in excitement as Olivia and Rafael came to the front to claim their prize and pose for a picture. It was a simple costume, containing of a black tuxedo for Rafael and a matching black and white dress for Olivia, but they'd completely pulled it off – from the 'Martini, shaken, not stirred' to the slightly suggestive conversations.

OoO

Fin looked surprised as he unfolded the paper and said: "This year, Benson and Barba won the costume award... congratulations!"

Olivia and Rafael cheered and hugged, kissing each other before coming to the front, Olivia raising her plastic weapon playfully to match the bullet hole at Rafael's forehead, winking as they made their way through the crowd. Rafael had a whole lot of makeup in his face, forming bruises and said shot wound, the major part of their murder costume.

OoO

The tiniest of frowns showed on Fin's face as he looked at the piece of paper. "And the costume award goes to Barba, Benson and Noah."

"Yes!" Noah squealed, giving Rafael a high-five, and the three went to the front, barely noticing that some of their friends and colleagues looked a little bit annoyed. Rafael, grinning proudly in his Captain America costume, lifted Noah so everyone could see him when he accepted the price, looking cute as a tiny Iron man. Black Widow smiled as she gave both of her boys a kiss.

OoO

The following year, Fin wordlessly handed the award to the little smurf family as they entered the apartment right at the beginning of the party, mumbling: "You're really making this less exciting."

Olivia and Rafael looked at each other, then shrugged simultaneously as Rafael said: "They can't handle our awesomeness."


	21. In The Still Of The Night

Okay, I admit, I did watch Dirty Dancing too many times. Still one of my favourite songs of the movie.

(220 Words)

* * *

 **In The Still Of The Night**

* * *

 _In the still of the night  
I held you  
Held you tight  
'Cause I love  
Love you so  
Promise I'll never  
Let you go  
In the still of the night _

The Five Satins – In The Still Of The Night

* * *

The band had long stopped playing and their guests had left too already, but Olivia and Rafael were still on the dancefloor, dancing slowly, their bodies pressed so close that not even a single sheet of paper would have fit between them. Only the stars and the light of a few torches were illuminating the place that had earlier been crowded by friends and family, witnessing how they finally said 'Yes'.

It had been a beautiful ceremony, simple but with a lot of heart, just like they'd wished it to be; Lucia had of course constantly been wiping tears away.

Olivia closed her eyes as she leant her head against Rafael's shoulder, enjoying the pure happiness that she was feeling in this moment. He was the best that had ever happened to her, except for Noah, and as he held her tight, she hoped that he would never let her go again.

"I love you, Liv," Rafael suddenly whispered into her ear, and she felt like she would never get tired of hearing it.


	22. Candy Thieves

Tumblr Prompt: Imagine your OTP stealing some of their child's Halloween candy.

(200 Words)

* * *

 **Candy Thieves**

Noah turned over with a content sigh, cuddling his stuffed Nemo. Olivia and Rafael stood at the door, still wearing their Halloween costumes, adoring the sight.

"He's so cute when he's dreaming," Olivia whispered as Rafael slung one arm around her waist, pressing a kiss onto her cheek. The day had been exciting for Noah; they'd went Trick or Treating with him and afterwards, they'd celebrated his first on Halloween party with all his friends from the kindergarten.

"I'm glad he had so much fun today," Rafael murmured, his gaze leaving the boy and wandering over to the big bucket of Halloween candy he'd received during their tour. Olivia followed his gaze, shaking her head and mouthing 'Oh, no', but still she followed him as he sneaked into the room, grabbing a handful of chocolate bars from the bucket.

"He won't notice," Rafael hissed with a wink, and Olivia could barely keep herself from giggling as they closed the door behind them.

The next morning, they were woken by Noah throwing a tantrum, and during breakfast, they were being glared at, until they promised to buy new sweets for Noah.


	23. Glances

(150 Words)

* * *

 **Glances**

Their eyes found each other over the conference table, and for a moment, the heated discussion about suspects and evidence seemed to fade away. Brown and green melted into each other, and they didn't need words to know what the other one was thinking in this very second. Olivia could see amusement in his gaze, it played around his eyes and caused their corners to crinkle. A small smile played around her lips, and only he was able to detect it with a well-practiced glance.

She could tell that a thought was swirling around in his mind, and she knew that they would discuss this thought in the evening, at their usual late night work session.

"They're doing it again," Amanda hissed as she leant over to Sonny, briefly gesturing towards their Lieutenant and the ADA. "Seriously, they should get a room."


	24. Planning Silently

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt – betrayal

(270 Words)

* * *

 **Planning Silently**

Rafael looked up from the toy cars that Noah and he were playing with, his gaze wandering over to his wife. Olivia was sitting on the couch with the newspaper, and he could spot her glaring at him over the brim of her glasses from time to time.

It made him feel uncomfortable; he hated it when she was mad at him, but what really unsettled him was that he had no idea why she was angry at him. He knew that it could be dangerous to have Olivia's wrath against him – though he himself probably wasn't any better either – and he guessed that he had to take the risk and investigate what was going on with her today.

"You're really quiet today, corazon," he stated after thinking for a few moments, trying to sound casual and a little bit concerned.

Olivia cocked an eyebrow and just stared at him for a long moment, then she replied: "Nobody plans murder out loud."

"What?"

He couldn't keep himself from gasping; her expression was full of hurt and he still had no idea why. Betrayal swung in her voice as she growled: "Today is our wedding anniversary, you idiot!"

All colour drained from Rafael's face and his eyes widened; immediately, he jumped to his feet, twitching and swaying as he didn't know what to do first. Ultimately, he dove towards Olivia and kissed her, whispering: "I love you, and I don't deserve you. And now if you may excuse me, I need to go and find the biggest bouquet of flowers that exists in New York City."


	25. Noises In The Night

Once again, I'd like to thank you guys for all the reviews you're leaving! :)

(330 Words)

* * *

 **Noises In The Night**

Olivia stirred before she ultimately woke, startled by a noise that definitely wasn't common in her apartment. It definitely wasn't Noah; the metallic scraping came from the door, and immediately she was wide awake, shoving her covers away and quietly getting out of bed. She didn't need light to get her gun from the top drawer of her dresser and sneak into the hallway while loading the gun in a practiced, nearly noiseless motion.

Gulping hard, she approached the door, hearing how the scraping intensified and was accompanied by a curse, then, the door suddenly swung open. Olivia reacted immediately, slamming her hand onto the light switch before it shot upwards to support her aiming position while she exclaimed: "NYPD, hands over your head!"

Rafael's green eyes were wide in shock as he stared at her, looking like a deer in the headlights of a truck. As Olivia realised that it was her boyfriend and not a burglar, she immediately lowered the weapon and unloaded it, cold shock rushing over her.

"Fuck, Rafi, what the hell?" she hissed, her fingers shaking as she separated gun and magazine; Rafael looked just as wobbly as he pushed the door close.

"That's what I wanted to say! You scared the hell out of me!"

"I thought you were someone trying to break in!" Olivia exclaimed, her voice nearly breaking; tears were suddenly starting to burn in her eyes and she placed gun and magazine on the small console nearby. Rafael walked over to her and pulled her against his chest, muttering soothing words even though he was just as shaken as she was.

"The light in the hallway is broken and I didn't find the keyhole," he whispered as she'd calmed down, feeling the need to explain why this had happened. "I couldn't sleep because I missed you."

Olivia wiped the last tears of shock away and chuckled. "It's really time that you move in, Rafi."


	26. Hide And Seek

(570 Words)

* * *

 **Hide And Seek**

Rafael sighed as he looked under Olivia's bed, only to be glared at by a child, realising that the space was already occupied. He asked himself why he'd agreed to this; originally, he'd just wanted to hand Noah's birthday present over, but now he was in the middle of a birthday party, trying to find a hiding place before Noah was done counting.

He opened the doors to Olivia's closet – desperate times called for desperate measures, she surely wouldn't maim him for this – and climbed in, though he could see feet that definitely belonged to Olivia.

"Get out! I was here first," Olivia hissed, but Rafael didn't listen, folding himself together before pulling the doors shut.

"There's nowhere else to hide," he answered, his eyes slowly getting used to the darkness; their faces were only inches apart and they were breathing onto each other. The space was so narrow that they were crammed there together, and he was sure that he wouldn't be able to move for the next couple of days. But to make Noah Benson smile happily, he would do everything.

In the distance, they could hear Noah exclaiming that he was done with counting, and Rafael tried to keep his breathing low, even though he felt the urge to take deep breaths – Olivia's scent was engulfing him, coming from the clothes and from her, and he was more than aware of her body pressed against his.

He could actually feel how his body slowly started to react to her; goosebumps covered his skin, he felt even warmer now, and he was glad that it was too dark for her to see him blushing. Desperate to make himself forget that he was basically pressed against the woman he secretly had feelings for, he let his gaze wander over the clothes hanging half in front of them. He could see a lot of sequins shimmering close to him, and as Olivia followed his gaze, she rolled her eyes and then glared, as if she wanted to tell him "Don't you dare to ask".

Olivia had to admit that it wasn't too bad to sit in her closet with Rafael, no matter how much she cursed the fact that her position had stopped the blood flow into her left leg. She tried to distract herself from the fact that she was losing her feeling there, taking in the outlines of the man sitting pressed against her, and noticing how he looked at her clothes. In this moment, she really wished she had thrown some of the stuff away – that sequin dress had been a really bad buy, and now Rafael had seen that she owned such things.

A few more minutes passed, and a pained expression flashed over Rafael's face – maybe she should have remembered how bad Noah was at playing hide and seek. He probably was playing with his presents right now...

On the other hand, this wasn't too bad... She could see how Rafael tried to keep his eyes away from her lips, and ultimately she whispered: "What happens in the closet stays in the closet!"

She didn't need to move her head forwards a lot to meet his lips, and as they kissed, she felt a little bit like a teenager again, who was just sneaking her first kiss with the boy she fancied.


	27. She's Like The Wind

… another Dirty Dancing. Sorry, not sorry ;)

(320 Words)

* * *

 **She's Like The Wind**

* * *

 _Feel her breath on my face  
Her body close to me  
Can't look in her eyes  
She's out of my league  
Just a fool to believe  
I have anything she needs  
She's like the wind_

Patrick Swayze – She's Like The Wind

* * *

Olivia snuggled against Rafael's chest with a sigh, not waking from her slumber. Rafael's fingertips were tracing invisible patterns on the bare skin of her neck, brushing her hair out of the way from time to time. Lost in thought, his gaze was directed at the window, listening to the sounds of the city and watching how the occasional light of a police car or ambulance was flashing through the room.

He assumed that he was supposed to be happy; after all, the woman he loved with all his heart was lying in his arms and had confessed her love for him hours earlier. But somehow, the euphoria had disappeared, and now anxiety was reigning inside of him.

Rafael felt like he didn't deserve the woman he was holding close. It wasn't easy to put his finger on the reason why he thought that, there was chaos in his head. Doubt, fear and disbelief mingled, and took the comfortableness of being with her away.

She was his now, but what if he disappointed her? What if he wasn't able to have a real relationship anymore? From what he knew, she'd had a lot of unhealthy ones, and he was afraid of adding another one to her record.

"I can hear you thinking, Rafi. Stop it."

He twitched in surprise as he heard Olivia's voice, and she lifted her head, her breath ghosting over his face before she kissed him.

"Your love is all I need," she whispered, pressing her forehead against his, and he looked into her eyes, hoping that he wouldn't disappoint her.


	28. Banana

(230 Words)

* * *

 **Banana**

An office lunch with Olivia normally was a very relaxed affair; they would sit on the couch of the respective office with takeaway boxes, talk casually about their case or anything that had happened in their private lives recently. Occasionally, one of them would try to snatch food from the other one, resulting in a playful banter, but otherwise it was peaceful, and both of them found themselves looking forward to those lunch hours.

However, today it wasn't so relaxing, for Rafael at least. He wasn't completely sure if Olivia was truly oblivious about what she was doing to him; they liked to play a round of poker against each other, and he knew that she was able to conceal true intentions.

Sweat was running down his spine as he watched her peel off the paring, her fingers gently touching the banana. Suddenly, he felt warm in his shirt and waistcoat, and asked himself if he really was going to act like a hormone-driven teenager about this.

His gaze followed her every move; how she gripped the lower part of the banana, how she looked it up and down... He subconsciously licked his lips, anticipating her next move...

And then, she bit into the banana with a grin, immediately breaking the spell, and Rafael turned back to his pasta, convinced that he could hear her chuckling.


	29. Finally

(370 Words)

* * *

 **Finally**

" _What are you gonna be doing when you're 85?"_

" _Squabbling with you?"_

" _Wouldn't that be nice?"_

Olivia didn't know why this certain conversation with Rafael Barba suddenly shot through her head as Tucker slammed the door shut behind him, the bag with his last clothes in his hand. Everything that had to be said between them was said, and now he was gone for good. She wondered why she didn't feel sad about it; in fact, she could sense something like relief – she was glad that Tucker had broken up with her.

And again, this sentence ran through her mind, accompanied by the memory of Rafael's smile, followed by the expression he'd had when he'd found out about Tucker and her.

Suddenly, she felt like she'd been blind for too long, and was now finally able to see. Jumping from the couch, she asked herself why she hadn't realised this earlier. It had been so obvious...

She barely remembered how she walked through the streets of the city; euphoria was pushing her forwards.

Rafael looked up in surprise as she entered his office, a smile on her lips, her eyes gleaming.

"Olivia, what can I do for you?" he asked, putting down his pen and closing the file he'd just been scribbling in.

"I want to squabble with you when I'm old and constantly forget where I put my glasses," Olivia babbled, approaching his desk while he got up from his chair with wide eyes, blinking as if he couldn't quite believe what she was saying.

"Are... are you serious?"

He looked a little bit shaky and in disbelief as they met next to the desk, standing right in front of each other.

"Yes," Olivia replied with all the determination she felt, and Rafael smirked. "Are you in?"

His fingers were warm and gentle as he took her hand and looked her into the eyes, answering: "Of course I'm in."

Their lips met for a soft kiss, and Olivia smiled as Rafael whispered "Finally" as they parted again for a short moment before he slung his arm around her and kissed her again.


	30. Cold Feet And Cuddling

Inspired by a Tumblr prompt.

(170 Words)

* * *

 **Cold Feet And Cuddling**

It was in the middle of the night as Olivia was woken by a loud gasp and a kick against her feet. Blinking sleepily, she turned around, seeing in the moonlight how Rafael sat upright, glaring at her.

"What happened? Nightmare?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes in confusion.

"No, but your feet touched me! Olivia, are you an ice block? Because they're freezing!" Rafael exclaimed, gesturing down to the end of the bed.

"They're not so cold," she murmured, rising an eyebrow, but nontheless she bent to touch her bare feet with her palm. "Oh."

"Yeah, oh."

"You could cuddle them warm?" she suggested, but Rafael shook his head, shifting so his legs were as far away from hers as possible while still being able to sling his arms around her.

"Definitely not. Keep them at your side."

From the next night on, Olivia always wore socks in bed, and Rafael cuddled her so she wasn't so cold anymore.


	31. The Seminar

Because we all know he was there ;)

(610 Words)

* * *

 **The Seminar**

Olivia cursed inwardly as she dashed through the elevator doors the moment they started to open, her fingers curled tightly around her bag so it wouldn't slide off her shoulder as she ran down the hallway, towards the room in which she was holding her seminar about domestic abuse. She'd been stuck doing some paperwork at the precinct and had forgotten about the time as she tried to get as much done as possible, and now she was going to be late.

All heads turned towards her as she pushed the door open and she could feel herself flushing as she gave everyone a crooked smile, assuming that it had to be evident that she'd been rushing to get here.

While her laptop was starting, she hurried to tame her hair into a ponytail and let her gaze wander around the room, always a little bit curious about which kinds of people attended her seminar. There were some detectives she knew to be in the SVU squads in Brooklyn that she recognised, but otherwise, there were no familiar faces... except for one.

She couldn't keep the surprise from showing on her face as she looked into the green eyes of Rafael Barba, who was the only one sitting in the front row. A notepad was lying on his knees, and he was turning a pen between his fingers while he watched her with a curious expression.

About a minute later, she'd connected her laptop to the overhead projector and cleared her throat, ready to start.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the seminar about domestic abuse. For all of you who don't know me yet, I'm Sergeant Olivia Benson and I'm with the Special Victims Unit in Manhattan."

A short round of applause followed, and she could see Barba smirking at her, something that made her stomach jump for an unknown reason. She'd given seminars before, but never had she been this nervous when starting her lecture; she could feel his eyes on her as she spoke, introducing everyone into the topic, but she tried to ignore it.

After some time, she looked over to where he was sitting while speaking; he was busily scribbling on the notepad, his gaze alternating between the sheet, the powerpoint presentation and her. From time to time, he turned a page noisily, and some of the others threw him irritated glances.

One hour later, she ended the seminar, and everyone was filing out of the room while she closed the presentation on her laptop, releasing a small sigh.

"That was an interesting presentation, Sergeant," Barba said, and she looked up at him, noting that they were the only ones left.

"Thank you, Barba," she replied with a small smile, and gestured at the notepad he was holding. "Did you really take notes all the time? I've never seen such vivid participation here before."

He smirked and opened it for her to see the pages full of text, with the occasional doodle in between. "I thought I could use some of it later. Do we want to discuss some of it over drinks? I still have some questions."

Olivia slipped her laptop into her bag, rising an eyebrow; she didn't really feel like staying out longer after a day like this, but on the other hand, she was curious why he'd been at her seminar.

"Okay."

They smirked at each other, and she hooked her arm into his as they walked out of the room together, having the distant feeling that this evening would be a lot of fun.


	32. Comfort

Set in 18x01, in the scene where Dodds blames Liv for his son's death

(500 Words)

* * *

 **Comfort**

Olivia could feel a cold shiver running down her spine as she stared out of the window, Chief Dodds' words echoing in her head, and she choked, her fingernails digging into the palms of her hands.

"Hey, don't do that," Rafael's voice came from behind her, softly, concern and care swinging in his tone, and she opened her mouth, thinking about saying something, but she couldn't think of anything. She heard him shift, his leather shoes moving over the carpet, and then his hand touched her elbow gently, making a little bit of warmth run through her body that seemed so icy suddenly.

"Liv."

Gulping hard, she turned around, not afraid of showing him how much Dodds' had hit her. Hot, agonising guilt pulsed through her body, and she couldn't keep the tears from burning in her eyes. Just as they threatened to fall onto her cheeks, she felt Rafael's arms coming around her, gently pulling her against him, and she allowed him to, a sob shaking her body. She buried her face in his shoulder as she tried hard to keep herself under control, melting into the embrace, seeking for comfort.

It took some time until she'd calmed down a little bit, and only then did she realise that this was the first real hug they were sharing, even though they'd been friends for four years now. He wasn't holding her too tight, but still firmly, his cheek was touching her temple, and he was gently rubbing her back. His body heat engulfed her without being too much, and she found herself taking deeper breaths to inhale his scent. Somehow she felt like she'd never been held like this before; it felt natural, and right, and she realised that she didn't want to let go.

It was as if his office was fading away, and obviously their close contact seemed to have the same effect on him, as he didn't loosen his grip as he felt her relaxing; instead, he pressed a tentative peck onto her hair. Olivia knew that the appropriate time for a hug between friends and co-workers had long passed, and she guessed that they were supposed to let go, but she just couldn't and she also didn't want to.

Rafael was taking away everything that had weighed her shoulders down, it seemed, not only the guilt she felt about Mike Dodds' death, but also about so many other things, and she caught herself thinking that no man she'd ever been with had been able to do that. Also, a tiny voice in the back of her head commented that she would be able to sleep a lot better if it was Rafael holding her during her nightmares. Tucker rarely ever slept at her place, and when she was woken by nightmares, he barely ever stirred.

Her thoughts weren't right for someone who was in a relationship, she guessed, but that didn't change that hugging Rafael _felt_ completely right.


	33. Morning Surprises

(280 Words)

* * *

 **Morning Surprises**

Rafael Barba hated to be in a rush, especially in the mornings. He always needed his time to wake up properly, and to ensure that he always had this time, he normally set three alarms on his phone so he really woke up early enough.

Unfortunately, this fool-proof system had failed him today; he'd slept at Olivia's place and completely forgot to charge his phone because he'd been occupied otherwise. Now he was rushing into the bathroom with less than an hour until a grand jury hearing, and Olivia was blocking the shower.

"Liv, get out of the shower! Or I'll come in!" Rafael exclaimed, and Olivia pulled the curtain to the side so her head peeked out.

A cheeky grin lit up her face as she replied: "You just gave me the perfect excuse to stay, Counselor."

Rafael growled in annoyance and stripped off his boxershorts, carelessly throwing them away before he climbed into the shower and stated: "Lieutenant, as you don't seem to mind..."

He let his hand wander over her hips possessively before he turned his back to her – completely on purpose, hearing her pleased gasp caused by his touch – and grabbed the soap as he felt her body pressing against his back.

"You didn't even realise that I tampered with your clock. You still have two hours," she huskily whispered into his ear, and he smirked, turning around.

"You're sneaky, Lieutenant. What an evil plot to lure me into your shower."

He silenced her laugh with a passionate kiss, pulling her towards him, and he decided that he wouldn't mind if his mornings were like this more often.


	34. Kids Know Best

(350 Words)

* * *

 **Kids Know Best**

Amanda had never paid much thought to her mother's saying that kids, even though they were still young, could sense if something was wrong. Sure, kids could see when someone was upset, but she'd never thought that there could be any deeper meaning behind it... Though right now, as the SVU squad was sitting in a restaurant, celebrating Fin's promotion – Liv had finally been able to convince him to officially become her second in command – she suddenly understood what her mother had meant.

Tucker was with them, and Amanda watched as the IAB Captain tried to entertain Noah as Olivia was at the ladies room. Noah started to cry, trying to turn away from Tucker, and Amanda threw a questioning glance at Dominick next to her; he didn't look too happy about what was happening right in front of their eyes too. The boy looked like he was close to throwing a tantrum, swatting Tucker's hands away, and Amanda was already pushing her chair back to walk over and free the poor boy when the door of the restaurant opened.

"Sorry, I'm late," a familiar voice said, and Noah's face suddenly lit up. "Fin, congratulations."

"Thank you, Counselor," Fin replied, but Amanda was only focused on how Noah was smiling, his brown eyes focussed on Barba.

"Rafa!" Noah exclaimed, stretching his little arms towards Barba as he came over, and a rare smile crept its way onto the ADA's face.

"Hey amigo!"

He ruffled the boy's hair and as he sat down, Noah literally threw himself onto his lap; from the corner of her eye, Amanda could see Tucker glaring daggers at Barba, and behind him, Olivia was witnessing the scene with wide eyes. Amanda could literally see how the wheels turned in her head, and a small smile lifted the corners of her lips as she realised that maybe, her mother had been right all along. Kids knew best, and Noah certainly was a very smart child, knowing something that his mother hadn't really realised yet.


	35. Judging You

(300 Words)

* * *

 **Judging You**

"Hey Barba!"

Rafael rolled his eyes as the little bubble he always had around him when he was running popped, and his grip around Noah's stroller tightened a tiny bit as he turned his head and saw Rollins and Carisi coming towards him. Carisi was pushing Jesse's stroller in front of them, and Rafael inwardly laughed about them as he remembered how they always claimed they didn't want to look like the perfect pair of parents from magazines – yet, there they were, wearing matching track shoes and jackets.

"Is the Lieu still ill?" Carisi asked, and Noah waved at the Detective with a big smile.

"Yeah, she's worse," Rafael answered, cursing the other man as he noticed that the two Detectives were getting faster. Maybe he would have to search for a new running route, he really felt awkward when he had to see those two – and they didn't even notice that they were being the cliché they'd never wanted to be!

OoO

"Hey, you two," Olivia greeted them weakly from the couch as they entered the apartment. "How was the run?"

Rafael helped Noah to take off his jacket and then walked over to her, giving her a kiss onto the forehead; Noah started to play with his favourite puzzle. "We met Rollins and Carisi. They were wearing matching clothes."

"Oh, seriously?" Olivia sighed and rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "That's so embarrassing."

OoO

"Did you see Barba's face as he spotted us?" Amanda asked, slinging a towel around her wet hair. "He was totally judging us."

"Yeah, Benson and he can be total hypocrites," Sonny replied, pressing a soft kiss onto Jesse's head. "They seem to think nobody notices when they match their clothes."


	36. Her Favourite

(240 Words)

* * *

 **Her Favourite**

Rafael Barba ran a hand through his hair that was still damp from his morning shower, opening the doors of the giant closet in the bedroom. His eyes wandered over the clothes that were neatly hanging next to each other, sorted after colour. With a practiced motion, he choose a grey suit combination and a white shirt with thin grey stripes, placing the items on the bed. Then, he turned towards the tie section of his closet, and hesitated.

Five minutes later, Olivia walked into the room, only wrapped into a big white towel. Seeing her husband stand in front of the closet like a statue wasn't new to her, but the look of slight discomfort on his face in fact was.

"Liv, I need help. I can't decide which tie to wear," Rafael mumbled, still staring at his impressive collection of ties.

Olivia chuckled while she opened her own closet, grabbing a black jeans, teasing him: "That's your problem. You have more clothes than Noah and me together. Just take the blue one with the white dots."

"What?" Rafael cried out, looking at her with outrage. "I wore that one last week!"

She cocked an eyebrow, then he started to chuckle and pulled the blue and white tie from the closet, walking over to kiss her. He knew exactly that this particular tie was her favourite, and he would always wear it for her.


	37. Little Games

(500 Words)

* * *

 **Little Games**

* * *

 _With these hungry eyes  
One look at you and I can't disguise  
I've got hungry eyes  
I feel the magic between you and I _

Eric Carmen – Hungry Eyes

* * *

There were some very rare moments in which Rafael Barba hated his job. When he woke up after a night he'd worked through, a page of a file firmly stuck to his cheek, for example. Or when the coffee in One Hogan Place was gone and he didn't have the time to go and grab one himself. Some of these moments also included all kinds of incompetent people, but he felt like he rarely ever disliked his job.

Though, right now he'd definitely found another moment. He was sitting in a meeting with the Detectives of the SVU, and he could barely concentrate himself on the case they were discussing. The reason why his mind kept wandering off was sitting on the opposite side of the table, acting innocent even though she knew exactly what she was doing with him. And he couldn't escape.

Rafael couldn't keep his gaze away from her, from the way her fingers would play with her necklace or with a strand of her hair. Sometimes, she bit her lower lip, making him shudder with the memories that this simple action brought back to the surface. Also, for his already influenced mind, the amount of skin her blouse showed only made his thoughts wander off more. It was an appropriate attire for the office, sure, but still there was enough exposed to make him recall how his lips and fingertips had caressed that very spot at her neck...

She turned her head ever so slightly, their gazes meeting, and a tiny, knowing smile played around her lips as she looked at him for a long moment, leaning forward just a tiny bit. Rafael felt warm, as if sweat was running down his spine, and he cursed her inwardly. The meeting seemed to take forever, and with every minute that passed, he felt more and more restless. This woman was torturing him on purpose, and she was obviously enjoying to see him writhe.

About half an hour later, they finally ended the meeting, and Rafael had to control himself so he wouldn't run after her when they headed for her office, closing the door and shutting the blinds behind them. Olivia was sitting on the edge of her desk, a smug smirk on her face as she said: "I would have to lie if I said that your hungry eyes didn't turn me on a little bit."

Rafael glared at her, feeling like his whole body was buzzing, and stepped closer, his hand slipping under her blouse to touch the skin of her waist. Pressing his body flush against hers, he made his breath ghost over her neck before whispering into her ear: "You're going to pay for playing this little game with me when we get home!"


	38. Little Games Part 2

A little continuation of the previous drabble ;) I'm not writing smut that often, so I didn't go all out because I don't have the practice.

(630 Words)

* * *

 **Little Games – Part 2**

Olivia knew exactly that she'd pulled his strings just the right way to frustrate him, and she enjoyed seeing him on the edge over the whole rest of the day. She rarely saw him out of his skin, and though she had been good at hiding it from him, she felt the same. They'd been together for quite some time now, but a single glance of desire from him still made her feel very tingly.

And so he wasn't the only one who could barely wait for them to be able to get home.

Fortunately for them, Noah had played so wildly on the playground of his daycare that he already nearly fell asleep during dinner – Rafael had to keep the boy's head from dropping into his pasta more than once. Still the little man insisted on hearing a bedtime story, and whenever Olivia stopped reading because they thought that Noah had fallen asleep, he miraculously woke up again, telling them with a sleepy voice that the story wasn't over yet.

Olivia and Rafael exchanged a few glances when that happened, and she was close to starting to curse loudly – the object of her desire was standing next to her, a hand on her shoulder, looking devilishly handsome in a worn Harvard t-shirt, sweatpants and with his hair ruffled, and Noah wouldn't fall asleep.

And so they were extra cautious as they sneaked out of Noah's room as the boy finally didn't wake up again, Olivia clutching Rafael's hand so tightly that it must have hurt him. The moment she closed the door behind them, Rafael's lips crashed onto hers and he pulled her against him, his hands pushing up her top. They stumbled down the hall towards the bedroom, somehow avoiding to crash into something while Rafael pulled the top over her head, carelessly throwing it onto the ground. His hands were running over every inch of the exposed skin while their tongues battled; heat pulsed through the air as they pushed the bedroom door closed.

For a long moment, they just stared at each other, passion radiating off them both, then Rafael pulled her against him, growling: "Never do that again, Liv. I was close to jumping over the table."

She smirked, grinding her hips against his to feel his growing arousal, making him gasp, and whispered back: "Don't think you're the only one who was turned on."

"Minx." He winked, allowing her to free him of his t-shirt before kissing her again, maneuvering her towards the bed while fumbling with her bra clasps. They needed each other, now, and the kiss grew more needy as they fell onto the bed, Olivia's bra flying out of sight. Olivia felt the heat coiling thickly in her stomach as Rafael showered her body with kisses and teased the spots he knew would drive her crazy while his hands pushed her sweatpants down, his fingers finding their way into her panties. A satisfied smirk played around his lips as Olivia moaned, feeling herself respond to his touch, and she wanted nothing more than to find her release, but she knew he wouldn't let her have that.

He knew her body well, so she wasn't surprised when his touch vanished the very moment she felt herself coming close, and she bit his lower lip in protest as he kissed her. Her fingers were trembling in need and anticipation as she hooked them into the waistband of his pants, and he helped her to push them down, together with his boxers.

"You're driving me crazy," he mumbled breathlessly before his lips found hers again and she wrapped her legs around his waist, thinking that maybe she would do this again anyway.


	39. The Birthday Rescuer

(780 Words)

* * *

 **The Birthday Rescuer**

Olivia sometimes felt like a terrible mother, despite the kind words of her close friends and colleagues who said the opposite. No, she really felt like she was doing everything wrong.

Now that Noah was in his daycare and had gotten himself some friends, she wanted him to have a big birthday party, until she realised that she had no idea how to organise such an event, especially while having a big caseload.

Rafael had taken a week off, and his replacement wasn't exactly the most competent Assistant District Attorney she'd ever worked with – more than once had she felt tempted to grab her phone and beg Barba to postpone his vacation. But then she'd also felt too proud to show him that she might have become a little bit dependent on his excellent skills – foremost because he would see it as his duty as her boyfriend to turn it into a dirty joke.

While trying to fight against the growing pile of paperwork and organise an awesome birthday party for Noah she also noticed that the squad was behaving oddly the Friday before Noah's party. Carisi was on the phone whenever she walked through the squadroom, lowering his voice when he saw her coming or even hanging up. Fin had asked her for a private discussion in the interrogation room, and she was sure she'd seen Amanda rush out of her office when they'd come out again... but maybe she was just being paranoid. Even though it had been odd that Amanda and Carisi had decided to go and grab an early lunch right after that, and her pile of files seemed to have grown...

Also, Lucy did take long to respond to the text messages she sent her, begging her to go out with Noah to buy some of the many things she'd forgotten to put on her shopping list a few days earlier, because she was a mess at organising her personal life.

And as the workload didn't seem to lessen, she got out of the office pretty late – Noah would already be in bed – and on her walk home, she felt like she was on the brink of tears; she was tired, she had a headache, and still had an apartment to decorate, a cake to bake and games to prepare. It was nearly impossible for her to manage that on her own while also getting enough sleep... The party would be a disaster, Noah would be upset, and she would never be able to forgive herself...

As she unlocked the door to her apartment, she thought for a moment that she'd opened the wrong door. Blinking in shock and confusion, she stared at the colourful balloons that were floating at the ceiling, matching perfectly with the paper streamers and festoons that were covering her furniture and the walls. Lucy was leaning against the kitchen counter, smiling widely as Olivia inhaled the scent of freshly baked cake and cookies, giving her a questioning glance.  
"What... how... I...," Olivia stuttered, unable to find the right words to describe what was going on inside of her.

Lucy cocked her head to the side with a wink as she said: "That wasn't me, Liv."

Olivia followed her gaze and her eyes widened as she looked into the smirking face of Rafael Barba, who was leaning against the window of her living room. He seemed to be more than satisfied with her reaction as she just stood there and stared at him, not even noticing how Lucy left while she tried to process what he'd just done, for her and for Noah.

"I... you... you had my squad turn against me so I would work late," she ultimately said after it had clicked in her brain. "Carisi, Amanda... they were making sure I don't... you sneaky little idiots!"

A tear sprung from her eye and fell onto her cheek, causing Rafael to move forward and pull her into his arms.

"We wanted you to enjoy tomorrow, too. And we knew you would be too stubborn to ask for help, so we had to do some undercover work," he explained, and she could hear the soft smile even though she didn't see it. "Also, he's a boy, I'm a boy, I know what would make him freak out in glee. Also, cookies and milk in champagne flutes, only I could be so classy."

"I hate all of you," Olivia mumbled, but then she grabbed the front of his polo-shirt and kissed him, feeling like she couldn't be happier in this moment.


	40. A Slip Of Tongue

(520 Words)

* * *

 **A Slip Of Tongue**

"Mum, dad, don't fight."

Amanda didn't know how this could have happened, and she really wished it hadn't, as the death glares from Benson and Barba were nothing one tended to enjoy. But well, she'd said it, and she would have to live with it. From the corner of her eye, she could see Sonny, trying hard to keep himself from starting to laugh, and she was glad when he grabbed her forearm and pulled her out of the ADA's office, saying something about paperwork waiting for them at the precinct.

"Oh my god, what did I do?" Amanda whispered in distress as they walked out of One Hogan Place, her cheeks starting to get hot, and Sonny finally gave in, starting to laugh loudly. He slung one arm around her shoulder while she buried her face in her hands, shaking her head. "They're going to kill me next time we see each other..."

"I don't know, I found this quite amusing," Sonny said as he managed to control his laughter, giving her a half hug, trying to comfort her. "Come on, I'm sure they'll have forgotten about it soon."

OoO

Olivia frowned as she sat down on the couch in Rafael's office, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Rafael had cocked an eyebrow the moment Rollins and Carisi had closed the door behind them, and now he had a small smirk on his face, rounding his desk and approaching her.

"I can't believe she truly called us mum and dad. Are we really fighting like that?"

Chuckling softly, Rafael looked her into the eyes and said: "I guess it was more because we're the two people who are the equivalent of parents for the squad. And children don't like it when their parents are fighting."

"It's all your fault, you wanted three," Olivia joked and they shared a laugh, the little argument they'd had earlier fading away.

"Are we going to punish Rollins for that?" he asked casually, sinking onto the leather couch as well.

"I would love to,"she replied, leaning back with a sigh. "But wouldn't it be a lot more fun to tease her with it?"

"True."

OoO

Unfortunately, the heavy workload the SVU was confronted with prevented them from having good opportunities to tease Amanda – though she looked rather relieved about that.

But then, as they were discussing a case in Olivia's office one afternoon, it happened. Olivia told Amanda that they wouldn't get a warrant based on the evidence they currently had – Barba would probably look at her in disbelief if he ever heard about it – when she got to her feet and looked Olivia in the eyes, saying: "I'll call Barba."

"Oh, come on, you can't always call dad when I say no!"

She thoroughly wished she could make a photo of Amanda's dumbfounded expression to show to Rafael later – she had a hard time keeping a straight face as Amanda stared at her with wide eyes.


	41. The Cardigan

An add-on to the drabble "A Different Piece of Clothing". Guest reviewer Sam asked how it would be if Rafael found out about Liv wearing his cardigan

(460 Words)

* * *

 **The Cardigan...**

Despite his closet being gigantic, Rafael Barba prided himself to have a pretty good survey of all the clothes he possessed. He always knew which items were in the washing and he'd never lost a piece of clothing, except for the occasional sock. And therefore he knew exactly that he wasn't just being blind when he couldn't find his blue wool cardigan. It was one of his favourite items to wear at home, so he couldn't possibly have forgotten about its location.

But still, no matter how many times he searched his apartment, the cardigan was nowhere to be found.

OoO

It was a few days later that he noticed that he'd accidentally slipped the wrong file into Olivia's bag when they'd hurried to leave his office after a late meeting. The file was relatively important to him, as he needed it to prepare his summation, and so he ended up knocking at her door in the late evening, praying that she wasn't asleep yet.

To his relief, he heard footsteps on the other side of the door moments later, and Olivia looked at him in surprise.

"Hey Barba... what can I do for you?"

He heard her voice, understood the question... but something else caught his attention, distracting him and completely throwing him off his game. There it was, his blue wool cardigan, wrapped around Olivia's body, and she even snuggled into it unconsciously, her arms slung around her torso.

"Barba? Is everything alright?"

Blinking a few times, he looked up into her eyes, his mouth opening, but all he managed to do was point at her while his brain tried to wrap itself around the fact that she was wearing his cardigan and looked so incredibly comfortable that it couldn't be the first time. Immediately, she started to blush, starting to stutter as well, and he had no idea how they ended up sitting on the couch next to each other, being silent because neither of them knew what to say.

Olivia shuffled after some time and cleared her throat, asking tentatively: "Are you mad?"

"No... confused."

"I... I meant to give it back, but... it's just so comfortable and..."

 _...smells like you._

She didn't need to say it out loud – he understood her without words, and his heart skipped a beat in joy as he realised what she meant. They both turned their head at the same time, their gazes meeting, and moments later they were kissing. It was gentle, they didn't hurry, and still Rafael felt dizzy as they parted and smiled at each other, finding it whimsical that from all these opportunities, a simple piece of clothing had brought them together.


	42. The Perfect Picture

Thanks so much for 200 reviews! :) You guys are amazing!

Do you have any ideas for drabbles you want to see written? Don't hesitate to write them into the reviews :)

(300 Words)

* * *

 **The Perfect Picture**

"Oh, this looks horrible," Olivia mumbled disapprovingly as she looked at the photo showing on her laptop screen, and Rafael, who was sitting next to her on his leather couch, leaned to the side to have a look. Their shoulders touched, and Olivia smiled as she felt his warmth; she loved these little afternoon meetings they had when they were working on a case together. They would meet in his office, sit on the couch and do some work together, drinking coffee. It was their way of balancing their heavy work schedules and their relationship, and it worked well for them.

"Yeah... it would be more suited for a Halloween card," Rafael agreed with a sigh. "Why is it so hard for us to make a decent photo for our first Christmas card?"

For a moment, they were silent, then, Rafael smiled suddenly. Olivia cocked an eyebrow and gave him a questioning glance, but he only said: "You'll see tonight."

A few hours later, they were sitting on a couch again, but this time, they were at home, Noah lying on their laps while they watched a movie.

"Rafi? What did you smile about this afternoon? You definitely had an idea, what was it?" Olivia asked suddenly, and Rafael smiled, pulling his mobile from the pocket of his suit pants.

"Our professional photos sucked. So I thought we could just take a selfie, as it's not forced or something."

Olivia shrugged before nodding; Noah clapped with a grin, and moments later, the camera of Rafael's phone flashed, capturing an unpolished family moment; Olivia and Rafael were sitting cheek to cheek, looking a little bit exhausted but happy and they both held Noah, who was showing off his first milk teeth. It wasn't perfect, but it was completely them.


	43. Light And Darkness

A wish from BenoightLangson (at least partly)!

(1400 Words)

* * *

 **Light And Darkness**

"Counselor, it seems like somebody is very insistent to contact you," Judge Fineberg commented dryly, interrupting Rafael in the middle of his final speech in front of the jury, gesturing towards his table. Everyone in the courtroom was quiet, and so the buzzing of his phone was very obvious, nearly causing Rafael to blush.

"I'm very sorry, your honour. I'm going to turn it off," he apologised, trying to keep up his calm and professional appearance while striding over.

"Oh, the defense would have no problem with Mr Barba answering his phone," Rita Calhoun said with a smug smile, causing Rafael to frown. "You must know, your honour, his wife is pregnant."

"You better check on her, then. I'm agreeing on a fifteen minute break," Fineberg announced, and Rafael glared at Rita before reluctantly grabbing his briefcase and coat, rushing out of the courtroom while pulling his phone out. Upon checking it, he found a dozen text messages from Olivia, asking him to bring chocolate and a dozen other things when he came home. Also, she proposed several different dishes for dinner, obviously unable to decide.

A sigh left his lips as he searched for a quiet corner and waited for her to pick up. Less than two percent – that was the likelihood of a woman of Olivia's age getting pregnant, and still they'd somehow managed it. Not that they'd tried – if he was honest, they hadn't thought that she would be able to conceive anymore, so they'd stopped using protection. And then, when she'd been feeling exhausted, her doctor had told them that she was pregnant.

At first, they'd been shocked, then excited, but after a few days and another appointment, fear had started to settle inside of them. They'd learned about all the risks they would be facing if they decided to try and have the baby, and he was sure that she'd never held his hand so tightly before. He'd been terrified as he heard about the probability of miscarriages, premature deliveries or stillbirths, and the other health risks for Olivia, and he'd asked her if she really wanted to do it.

His own fear had been reflected in her eyes, and they'd taken their time to discuss the topic. Ultimately, she'd decided to try and carry the baby out, a decision which had thrown their life upside down.

"Hey Rafi," Liv said with a flirty voice as she finally answered the phone, causing him to roll his eyes. Rafael desperately tried not to be angry with her for disturbing him while in court because she was bored – because of the risks and her stressful job, she'd been put on bedrest, much to her discomfort. She still tried to stay on top of the things going on in the precinct, even though Sergeant Dodds had taken over for her while she was on bedrest... but nothing could keep her from being bored.

"Liv, there's nothing wrong with you, isn't it?"

"No, I'm good... just bored... and lonely... missing you...," Olivia replied with an innocent tone, and he could literally see her playing with a lock of her hair. To him, she was even more beautiful now that she was pregnant, and though they were forbidden to have sex, nothing could keep them from snogging when the hormones were taking over.

"Livy... you know I can't come over now," Rafael stammered weakly, somehow wishing he could leave for home immediately. Maybe it was because he wanted to protect her and their baby – he lately found it very hard to leave for work in the mornings. He'd rather stay home with Liv and Noah all day, listening to Noah babbling out his excitement about getting a sibling and laying his head on her little bump to listen for their baby's heartbeat.

"Why not?"

He could hear her pout, and the picture that formed in front of his inner eye was too cute. Seeing signs that the trial would continue soon, he stretched his back and said: "I'll try to take work home so I can get to you earlier, okay? But until then, I'll have to ask you to stop messaging me, okay? Only call if it's something very important, do you understand?"

"Okay..."

"I love you. Give Noah a kiss from me."

"Love you too, Rafi."

OoO

Rafael was proud with himself that he was able to ignore Calhoun's comments when he walked back into the courtroom, and he continued where he'd stopped without a problem. He brought a lot of convincing arguments forth and left for his office with the confidence of having done everything he could to get justice for their victim. He'd texted Carmen so she would prepare some files for him to take home, and he felt content flood him as he unlocked the door to his home less than an hour later.

Noah was sitting on the floor, mixing colours with his new set of acrylic paint while Olivia was lying on the couch, a happy smile on her face as she spotted him.

"I brought pizza," he said as he placed his briefcase and the bag with the food on the kitchen counter, then he walked over to kneel next to Noah, giving him a kiss on the temple. "What are you doing, amigo?"

"Mum said we need to pick a colour for the baby's room. I'm making suggestions."

"They look great."

Rafael gently ruffled Noah's hair before moving over to the couch to kiss Olivia, hearing her mumble a 'Finally' against his lips, and the way she grabbed his tie showed him that she'd been barely able to wait for him to get home.

OoO

It was in the middle of the night when Olivia woke Rafael, panic ringing in her voice as she shook him, calling his name, and a cold rush ran down his spine as he switched on the light and spotted the blood on their sheets. His heart was racing in his chest and his knees were weak in fear as he called an ambulance, his voice nearly breaking as he looked at Olivia's pale face. Their fingers were laced together and he didn't let go once as the paramedics put her on a stretcher to get her to the ambulance.

He didn't remember how he managed to get Noah and himself dressed and to the hospital, or when he'd rung his mother up... all he knew was that he saw Lucia rushing into the waiting room at the hospital and he broke down.

Lucia stayed with Noah as the doctor finally led him to Olivia's room where they gave them the news that Olivia had lost the baby. He held her as they both cried – they'd both known that it was possible, and they'd thought they'd been prepared for it, but still the pain of the loss hit them hard, harder than they'd expected.

OoO

It took long for the wound to heal, but looking back, Rafael found that it had brought them even closer together. They went for a long vacation with Noah after Olivia had recovered from the miscarriage, and it really helped them to start healing – individually, and as a family. Noah gathered a jar of beach sand and collected the most beautiful shells he could find, and when they got home again, he put a candle in it, telling Olivia and Rafael that he wanted his sibling to know that they would always think of them. The jar received a special place in the living room, standing next to their framed pictures.

One year later, they decided to adopt a little girl, and it seemed like their scars faded from the joy this decision brought into their life, even though they would never forget their baby.

Ava was a child that laughed a lot and loved to do nonsense; Noah was the proudest big brother they'd ever seen, and Olivia snuggled into Rafael as they sat on the couch and watched Ava and Noah stand in front of the freshly decorated Christmas tree, holding hands and babbling about presents. The dark days were over, even though she'd once thought that they would never pass, and there was light and happiness waiting if you only continued walking.

* * *

AN: I'm sorry for how this turned out, but I looked at the Barson baby part rather realistically, and with Liv being 48 in 2016, chances of getting pregnant are literally zero. So, after doing some research, I went a different way, including a headcanon I had for some time. Benoight, I hope I wrote the first part the way you imagined it!


	44. Being Proud

I saw a picture of male protestors in India wearing skirts to ridicule the argument of the clothing of a woman encouraging rape. This is what happened then in my head^^

(280 Words)

* * *

 **Being Proud**

Olivia could count down a thousand moments in which Rafael made her so proud and happy that she just had to kiss him because words couldn't describe what he was doing to her – or for her. But right now, as they walked in the middle of a giant stream of protesters making their way through Manhattan, she really had no idea how to show him how proud she was of him, as her boyfriend and as a human being. There just didn't seem to be a way that would show enough, and it seemed like Amanda was sharing her feelings in an equal way concerning Dominick.

Rafael and Dominick were walking next to them, Rafael holding Liv's hand while Dominick had an arm gently slung around Amanda's arm. They were both wearing colourful skirts that ended about mid-thigh, despite it being cold, and whenever the crowd started chanting, they joined in just as passionately as the women all around them. Confidence was radiating off them, especially when pedestrians were giving them odd looks, and Olivia found herself being jealous of their legs for a short moment. Rafael was holding up a shield with the words ' _The skirt obviously isn't the problem_ ' painted on it, and she leaned over to him, pressing a kiss to his cheek and smiled when he turned his head to look at her.

And he seemed to understand; he simply smiled back and kissed her when the people in front of them stopped briefly, whispering words of affection. He had a heart of gold, and that was only one of the many things she loved about him.


	45. All Those Scars

(1020 Words)

* * *

 **All Those Scars**

A loud crash resounded in Olivia's quiet apartment as a vase smashed on the floor, pushed off its table as Olivia and Rafael stumbled into it, too occupied with kissing and removing pieces of clothing to notice or to care at all. Olivia felt like she was losing her mind as Rafael's lips pressed onto hers and one of his hands cupped her ass briefly, pulling her against him so she could feel his arousal. This man was driving her crazy, and a small smirk appeared on her face as they parted briefly to get him rid of his shirt as she read in his expression that this feeling was mutual.

Maybe they weren't supposed to jump into this like that, a mere few days since she'd told Tucker that her feelings weren't the same as his. But on the other hand, the breakup had felt like being freed, and she could barely believe that she'd been so blind and oblivious regarding her own feelings. She'd tried to tell herself that the relationship with Tucker was one of the happiest she'd ever had, but she'd known that it was a lie the moment she'd said it out loud.

Of course, there were moments in which she'd been happy, but then, there'd been a lot during which she'd realised that something was off.

And after Tucker had left her apartment with the few items he'd left there in case of a rare overnight stay, there'd suddenly only been one person she'd wanted to talk with. She'd expected it to be Melinda or Amanda, because she usually needed a good friend, wine and a piece of cake when another relationship had broken apart... But to her utter surprise, her fingers had dialed the number of Rafael Barba before she even knew it herself.

He'd been quick to agree on coming over, and the rest of the evening was a blur of drinking scotch, hugs and comforting words that ended with them kissing and then apologising, claiming that it was the alcohol, her emotions, her loneliness... And he'd left, an unreadable expression in his eyes as he'd told her softly she could call him whenever she wanted to talk. The moment he'd closed the door she'd felt the need to ask him to come back.

A faint moan escaped her as his lips wandered over her neck and the memory of him standing in front of her door to tell her that he didn't regret their kiss disappeared in her foggy mind. His touch felt so good, and she could barely recall the last time she'd felt so alive.

They somehow managed to make it to the bedroom without crashing any other decorative items and she pulled him with her onto the bed, her hands wandering over his chest as she admired the body he was hiding under those suits every day. But then, as he gently pushed the top she'd worn under her blouse upwards, she suddenly felt a familiar anxiety rushing over her.

Her whole body tensed as it went into alert, and she half expected him to not notice anything and continue with their foreplay, like Tucker had done in the past... but Rafael stopped almost immediately, looking into her eyes with concern. A shiver ran over her and she sat up, slinging her arms around her torso and pushing her top back down – somehow, she couldn't handle it that he had read her signals.

Since William Lewis, she'd struggled with herself, with intimacy because of the scars that were covering her body, and though therapy had helped her a lot, she still felt uncomfortable when they were being revealed. Tucker hadn't really been aware of the fear that was simmering inside of her whenever things led to the bedroom, he'd nearly been ignorant of the little signs because he didn't know her that well.

But Rafael, he knew her, and he looked guilty as he brought a little bit of distance between them, as if he was the reason that she was anxious of letting someone this close. Olivia could tell that he thought that he was pushing her into something she didn't really want, and she hurried to sling her arms around him, pulling him close.

"I'm not afraid of you," she whispered into his ear, taking deep breaths to inhale his scent, and it comforted her a little bit. "I know you could never hurt me, and I want this... I trust you."

She moved back a bit so she could look into his eyes, and then she kissed him gently, guiding his hands back to her hips, and his fingers hesitated before they curled around the hem of her top. Their gazes were locked as he pushed the piece of clothing upwards, slowly, always watching out for her reaction, and suddenly, Olivia felt safe. His thumb brushed over the first faded burn mark, and he kissed her lips before bending and kissing the scar, a tingle running down her spine, one that was different from the she'd felt before.

"You're beautiful, Liv," Rafael said minutes later as her top landed on the floor, discarded by herself, and all her scars were revealed. Somehow, she felt like this was the first time she believed someone when he told her that, the first time she didn't feel self-conscious about showing her marks. She guided his hands, glad that he wanted to make her feel comfortable, and it was a freeing feeling when the need and passion returned, causing her to kiss him hungrily.

Rafael seemed to gain more confidence now, and his hands started to move on their own, undoing the buttons of her jeans, but she could still see him watching out for signs, and she loved him even more for that.

Every touch was careful, loving and yet bringing her closer to the edge, and she didn't know how she could ever have lived without this caring combination. Olivia let herself fall into his arms, because she trusted him completely, because he knew her and she knew him.


	46. A Serious Question

(380 Words)

* * *

 **A Serious Question**

It was an early but sunny morning in New York; Olivia and Rafael had just dropped off Noah at his daycare together and were now walking to the courthouse. They'd already stopped to grab their morning coffee, and so they made their way through the mass of people on the street, loosely holding hands.

As they walked, a random question sprung into Rafael's mind, and while he sipped his coffee, he asked himself if he should voice it to Olivia. Because even though it did seem like an odd question, it also had a point.

"Liv?"

"Hm?"

She turned her head towards him with a relaxed and happy expression on her face, smiling, but that didn't keep Rafael from voicing what was on his mind. "Why are you always wearing heels?"

He briefly gestured down to her shoes, and he could tell that she knew that he was talking about the shoes making her taller than him, even though they were about the same height. It wasn't that it bothered him – since they'd met she'd always worn shoes like these, and he thoroughly appreciated the way her legs looked with them on... Still, he was interested in the 'why'.

Olivia looked truly surprised by the question and stopped walking, stepping out of the mass of pedestrians and pulling him with her, as their hands were still locked. For a moment, she thought about his words, and then, she started to smile widely. Moving forwards a bit, she said: "So I can do this easier."

A soft kiss landed on top of his head, and he rolled his eyes, but her smile was too infectious to not return it. Leaning in on her, he kissed her gently, his lips lingering against hers longer than necessary, then he whispered: "I love you, Livy. But don't mess up my hair before court."

He swatted her hand away as she reached for his tie with a mischievous smirk upon his words, and he laughed, pulling her into his arms. And for a moment, he forgot about the stressful day that lay ahead of them and the difficult cases they were facing... for one wonderful moment, he was simply happy.


	47. There's No Place I'd Rather Be

(320 Words)

* * *

 **There's No Place I'd Rather Be**

It had been a long, exhausting day for Rafael, and he was glad that he could finally just lay on the couch in his sweatpants and sip some hot chocolate. He'd played with Noah after dinner, and now Olivia was bringing him to bed while he watched some TV, feeling too tired to do anything else than lie down this evening. His eyelids were getting heavier with every minute, and soon he felt himself drifting off, the remote slowly sliding from his slackening grip.

Rafael didn't know for how long he'd napped, but something heavy on his chest woke him with a start. Looking down, he saw Olivia's head resting over his heart, and she smiled softly as their gazes met.

"Hey," she mumbled, and he slung his arms around her, inhaling her scent and relishing in how comfortable it felt to have her in his arms.

"Hey," he whispered back, his voice slightly raspy, and Olivia carefully pushed herself up a bit so she could kiss him. It was a lazy kiss, but still full of love, and Rafael was convinced that this was how true content felt.

"We should go to bed," Rafael said quietly after some time, even though he didn't want to move. Olivia was snuggled into his chest, rubbing his neck absentmindedly while his fingers played with a strand of her hair.

"Hm," she made in agreement, but didn't seem to be keen to get up as well. And somehow, Rafael didn't care if they'd fall asleep on the couch and that his neck would kill him in the morning if they did. All he needed was lying in his arms, and he smiled softly as he watched his love drift off into a slumber, drooling onto his t-shirt a bit. There was no place in the world he'd rather be.


	48. Teaching The Important Things

A prompt found on Tumblr!

(330 Words)

* * *

 **Teaching The Important Things**

Olivia sighed inwardly as she listened to what Fin was telling her on the phone while she paced in her bedroom. It was one of these days on which she was glad that she was the boss of the unit – Noah's daycare had been closed because of too many children being ill and Lucy had to fly home because of a family emergency, leaving her without a babysitter for the day. So she was working from her home, and she found that it was rather nice – she could stop to play with her son from time to time, and she could work in her sweatpants.

She heard Noah giggling in the living room and smiled; Rafael had come over as he needed to discuss something about their latest case with her, and somehow he hadn't seen calling as sufficient.

Noah seemed to be happy about another playmate, and Olivia had the feeling that Rafael had already forgotten why he was there.

A few minutes later, she finally ended the call and walked back into the living room, only to stop dead in her tracks. Her heart jumped in her chest and she couldn't help but smile at what she saw:

Rafael was sitting on the floor with Noah, his lavender tie loosened and his expression relaxed and amused. They had a package of Oreos and a glass of milk with them, and Rafael was showing Noah how he could dunk his cookie into the milk without getting his fingers wet.

She didn't know for how long she'd been standing there until Rafael noticed her and smirked, saying dryly: "Liv, I should come over a lot more often, so someone teaches Noah the important things in life."

Olivia started laughing and then sat on the floor with them, forgetting about work for a moment while eating Oreos with Noah and Rafael, feeling like she really wanted him to come over more often.


	49. Winning

(380 Words)

* * *

 **Winning**

"Give up, Lieutenant!" Rafael exclaimed while aiming at Olivia, a determined expression on his face. "You can't win. I got you, and now I'm going to end you."

Olivia stared back at him, her hands raised, but that didn't mean she had already surrendered. "I have to compliment you, Barba. That was some smart move. But I somehow doubt that you'll really have the balls to finish what you started."

Rafael chuckled dryly, his aim on her torso not dropping once while he asked: "What makes you think that, Olivia?"

She smirked, taking a tiny step towards him, her voice sounding a little bit teasing as she replied: "You love me too much to shoot me."

"I'm perfectly able to keep my feelings out of this," Rafael informed her, his fingers tensing at the trigger while Olivia took another step forwards, her gaze firmly locked with his.

"Oh, really? I thought I meant something to you."

Her words actually make him halt for a moment, and she uses this split second to move forwards and press her lips to his; the gun dropped from his hands as he slung his arms around her hips and pulled her closer, getting lost in her. Their surroundings faded away as she clung to him, mumbling teasing words between the kisses...

Suddenly, they heard two high-pitched noises and upon looking down, they found that the neon lights attached to their vests had gone out. Noah was standing a few steps away from them, grinning at them widely, showing off his first tooth spaces while he exclaimed: "I got you! I won!"

Rafael looked at Olivia with a mocking glare and whispered: "Damn you and your little distractions. I wanted to win."

"I know something that you'll find a lot more pleasing than winning Laser Tag against our son, Rafael," she responded with a flirty smirk, and Rafael chuckled as she winked.

"Now that we're both dead, we could go back to kissing while Noah plays? And when we're home you can show me what you think I might find more pleasant than winning."

"Sounds good," Olivia mumbled before he pulled her towards him again, claiming her lips in a soft kiss.


	50. The Best Present Of All

Wow, the 50th drabble already :) I would like to thank you guys for reading and reviewing, you're amazing, and I'm always smiling when I read through your reviews!

To celebrate, I'll provide you some extra fluff – and you can make a wish on something you'd like to read! :)

This is a request from barsonaddict! I hope you like it.

(1350 Words)

* * *

 **The Best Present Of All**

Rafael had never made a big fuss about his birthday, and especially in the last few years, his birthday had become a really quiet affair. He didn't have many friends left; his job was destroying many friendships, and the few that were still intact weren't so close, or they lived on the other side of the country. Not many people at the DA's office knew when his birthday was – and he wouldn't tell them – and so his birthday only consisted of working, leaving the office early and having dinner with his mother.

Rafael always tried to tell himself that he didn't feel lonely, that it was just a day like all the others... but as he woke up for his 47th birthday, he couldn't help but sigh as he thought about how nothing but the usual would await him today.

And maybe... maybe his mood was really bad as he made his way to One Hogan Place, trying not to think about how much of the scotch he had at home he would drink tonight. Not even his beloved coffee could lighten his mood, and Carmen seemed to sense this before he even exited the elevator – she only nodded at him, letting him walk past into his office without bothering him.

He was glad that he didn't have to be in court today – nobody could see him bathing in his loneliness in his office. A text message from his mother telling him that she'd come down with the flu and that they would have to postpone his birthday dinner was pulling his mood into lows that he hadn't thought to be possible, and he actually considered starting to drink in the office as the afternoon trickled by.

After sending Carmen home, he was already on his way to grab the scotch bottle he kept in his office when he suddenly heard a gentle knock on the door. Trying not to sound too annoyed or even miserable, he grunted a short: "Come in."

"Hey Barba."

He turned around, and for a short moment, he felt like someone had lit a candle in the darkness that seemed to have settled inside of him. Olivia was standing in his office, a soft smile playing around her lips as she looked at him, her jeans and the leather jacket indicating that she must have gotten out of the office a while ago. Still she looked a little bit dressed up, as if she wanted to go to a party with friends.

"I'm really surprised to find you here at this time of day," she said, closing the door behind her, hiding her other arm behind her back.

"Really? Why?" Rafael asked with a sigh, not bothering to mask that he was mentally tired as he sat down on the couch.

"Well, considering that it is your birthday..."

He blinked while looking at her in confusion, his mind racing as he tried to remember when exactly he'd told her when his birthday was. Her smile only grew wider as he came to the conclusion that he'd never told her and that there was no way for her to know... how the hell...

Olivia chuckled softly, as if she'd read his mind, and then said: "Well, I'm a cop, remember? Also, I can't believe that you really didn't bother to tell me about your birthday, even though we've been friends for what, three years now?"

She moved over to the couch and sat down next to him, now moving her arm from behind her back, revealing a little paper box, and as he continued to stare at her, she opened the lid and revealed a mini cake. A little candle stuck in the chocolate frosting, surrounded by coffee beans, and before he knew it, Olivia had lit it.

Her eyes were gleaming as she looked at him and whispered: "Happy Birthday, Rafael."

Rafael actually bit his lip as he sensed how his emotions started to boil up inside of him, getting out of control, and it made him uncomfortable, as it very rarely happened to him. Knowing exactly that she'd seen the tears gleam in his eyes, he looked down at his hands and took a deep breath before meeting her gaze again, mumbling: "Thank you."

They looked at each other for a very long moment, and he felt like she understood what was going on inside of him. It sometimes scared him how well she knew him, even without words, and that she seemed to know what he was thinking... but it also was something special he didn't want to miss. He'd never had something like that before with someone, and it made her that tiny bit more special to him.

"Come on, blow out the candle and make a wish," Olivia told him, her warm brown eyes making his heart skip a beat, and he obeyed, extinguishing the flame with a short exhale and watching how the bluish smoke floated into the air. He had no idea what to wish for, because he felt like the only thing he could have wished for was already sitting next to him, carefully pulling the candle out of the cake.

"Liv... thank you," he said, and beneath her smile, there was a flicker of confusion as she gazed at him.

"You already said that," she pointed out, taking two plastic forks out of her bag and handing one to him.

"I guess one time wasn't enough. This... you don't know how much this means to me."

Their gazes locked, and he felt like he was sinking into her eyes, drowning in them; it didn't feel odd for him to openly show how moved he was by this, even though he normally guarded his reactions so carefully. She reached out and gently squeezed his hand, his skin tingling where she touched him, and a little bit of sadness crossed her beautiful features, showing him that she knew what he meant.

"Now be a good birthday boy and eat your cake. We got plans tonight," she said, clearing her throat and pulling her hand back the very moment he wanted to lace his fingers through hers and tell her what he felt because it just seemed the right thing to do.

"Plans?"

"Yeah," she confirmed while Rafael forked a piece of cake into his mouth. It was simply delicious, a mixture of mocha, chocolate and raspberries, and he decided that it was the best birthday cake he'd had in his life. "You and I, we're going to go out tonight. Lucy is staying with Noah, and drinking with me surely is a better idea than drinking on your own."

He had the strong desire to kiss her for ripping him out of his hole and giving him exactly what he needed, but he felt like he should tell her that he'd loved her for years when he was less close to starting to cry out of happiness. She was driving him crazy once again, making him feel like he couldn't handle the sudden joy, and it made him feel like a wreck.

And so, he opted for a tight hug, inhaling her scent as she slung her arms around his neck and moved closer, her soft hair pressing against his cheek.

In fact, he did kiss her later that evening, before they went into their usual bar – he'd just been unable to hold it in, and he asked himself if he was dreaming when she responded. While she kissed him back with an equal amount of intensity, he felt like it couldn't be real, that _she_ couldn't be real... But her body pressed against his, her lips on his, her taste, her scent, her whispered reply to the confession of feelings he'd buried inside of him...

It all convinced him that he was really having the best birthday in his life, and that she'd given him the most wonderful present he could have asked for – love.


	51. Shake It Off

I couldn't get Cheap Thrills by Sia out of my head, and this is basically what happened because of it^^ Imagine them dancing to it ;)

We also reached 250 reviews – I love you guys! :)

(870 Words)

* * *

 **Shake It Off**

"Liv... Don't you think we're a bit too old for this?" Rafael asked half-heartedly, thinking about attempting to free himself from the grip she had on his wrist as she pulled him up the stairs, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to ruin this moment for her.

"Are you going to chicken out, Counselor?"

Her tone was teasing, her brown eyes were sparkling, and she was wearing this excited smile that was full of joie de vivre. He grimaced at her while she led him towards the source of the music, guessing that there was no way out – with any other person, he would have left, but he just couldn't do this to Olivia. It was getting louder with every step they took, and the first young people were coming down the stairs, giving them odd looks. Rafael didn't really feel comfortable, and he let his hand slide into Liv's, causing her to throw a brilliant smile over her shoulder.

The beat of the music was pounding in his ears and he could feel the bass vibrating in his stomach as they entered the club; nobody really paid attention to them as they made their way through the crowd towards the bar. He felt like he would go deaf soon and barely noticed how Olivia ordered something to drink for them.

There he was, in a club full of people half his age because Olivia felt the need to shake some stress off. Had he only known what she'd meant with that... hell, he probably would have come along anyway. She had him wrapped around her little finger, something Noah had copied very quickly after they'd gotten together, and he really couldn't say 'No' when she smiled at him.

Downing the very strong drink without really questioning what it was, he allowed her to pull him towards the dancefloor. The last weeks had been hard for the whole SVU, and maybe this was a nice break, a different method to get the memories out of their systems.

At first, he definitely felt a little bit stiff as they started to move to the beat – it had been two decades since he'd really danced the last time, and he'd never really been the party goer... But he could already feel how the alcohol was slowly taking effect, and also he could always rely on his confidence.

Olivia was mouthing along to the song as she moved to the music, her gaze never leaving his, and he felt like it had been a long time since he'd seen her so carefree. Her curls were jumping around her face, her eyes were sparkling, and though she probably wasn't the best dancer in the house, she definitely knew some good moves. At some point, Rafael stopped caring about them not really fitting in at this place or them being mediocre dancers – he felt the stress slowly leaving him, and he slung his arms possessively around Olivia's waist, pulling her closer.

A flirty expression passed over her face and she pressed her body against his as she moved her arms around his neck. He let her lead, copying her rhythm, and he smirked as she kissed him, tasting the raspberry vodka as she gently ran her tongue over his bottom lip.

Maybe this hadn't been such a bad idea – he definitely started enjoying himself, and he felt a lot younger than his true age tonight.

His hearing felt fluffy as they walked home hours later, and his muscles were sore, but he didn't care; Olivia was giggling and grabbed him by his leather jacket more than once to stop and kiss him passionately.

"I was wrong," he mumbled between two kisses as they stumbled into their bedroom, hastily undressing each other and making a lot of noise in the process – luckily, Noah was at Lucia's place.

Olivia made a questioning noise while unbuckling his belt, a mischievous expression twinkling in her brown eyes.

"We're not too old for this," Rafael explained, grinning before allowing her to push him onto the bed and straddle him while their lips crashed again.

OoO

The Monday morning came way too fast for their taste – after sleeping their hangovers off, they'd picked up Noah and Lucia to spend the Saturday in the park, and on Sunday, the three of them had barely left the couch, watching Disney movies and eating pizza.

But still, they both felt wonderfully relaxed as they walked into the courthouse on Monday, ready to face the next trial, the next shocking story. Just as they wanted to enter the courtroom, the DA of Manhattan surprisingly approached them, a grin on his face.

"Counselor, Lieutenant, my daughter swore that she saw you two in her favourite club on Friday. She asked me to tell you this: 'Wow'."

Rafael blinked in confusion, then he started to smirk while Olivia looked after the DA with an open mouth, a smile stealing its way onto her face.

"I knew we were the hottest couple on the dancefloor," Rafael said matter of factly and Olivia started laughing before pressing a kiss to his cheek.


	52. I Will Never Forget You

**.**

 **I Will Never Forget You**

* * *

 _I don't think the heart ever grows old._

Samantha Carter (Stargate SG-1)

* * *

Noah could feel the anxiety swelling up inside of him like a river during a monsoon as he entered the ward, nodding curtly at the nurses who greeted him as they walked by, knowing him well from his nearly daily visits by now. It would have been incorrect to say that he hated hospitals – he was studying to become a surgeon, after all – but he still had chills running down his spine whenever he entered this specific ward. Maybe because what would await him was getting worse with every day, and he knew it beforehand. Still, he couldn't bear the thought of not coming here.

After knocking gently, he opened the door to a room, forcing a smile on his face even though he felt like crying as he entered and then shut the door quietly behind him.

"Hey Papí, how are you doing?" he gently asked and took the hand of the old man lying on the bed. Green eyes looked at him in confusion, holding no recognition as they examined Noah's face.

"Are you my new doctor?"

Noah gulped hard, a lump forming in his throat, but he forced himself to keep his smile up as he looked down at the scrubs he was wearing under his winter jacket – he'd just come from a shift in the emergency room.

"No, Papí. It's me, Noah. Your son," he explained, sitting down on the edge of Rafael's bed. It hurt to see this brilliant, intelligent lawyer and loving father disappear more and more; he was only a shadow of himself, and Noah had lost count over how many times he'd reminded Rafael who he was.

For a moment, Rafael looked like he remembered, but then his face fell, he blinked a few times, and then he asked: "Excuse me, do you know where my wife is? Olivia, she... she said she would meet me for coffee when I'm done in court."

Noah suppressed a sob, squeezing Rafael's hand; love was shining in his father's eyes as he continued to talk about Olivia. There were days on which Rafael wouldn't recognise him, or even forget his own name... but there was one thing he never forgot. No matter how bad his condition was, he always knew who Olivia was – the love of his life.

Sorrow weighed heavy on Noah's shoulders whenever his mother was mentioned – she'd only died half a year ago, before Rafael's Alzheimer had worsened, and he wasn't over losing her yet. Maybe it had been the pain of the loss that had caused the condition to progress negatively so rapidly, and a part of Noah was glad that Rafael was oblivious that Olivia would never meet him for coffee again.

Noah hoped that one day, he would find a love that was just as deep and strong and unbreakable as the of his parents. And though he didn't want to lose his father so soon as well, he also wanted it to be over; he couldn't bear to see him like this, and he knew that the time when they would be reunited was coming closer.

With tears burning in his eyes, he carefully pulled a sweater out of his backpack; it still smelled like his mother, and he could see Rafael relaxing the moment he placed it next to his head. Rafael closed his eyes and took deep breaths, inhaling the familiar scent, and a small, content smile lifted the corners of his mouth.

A tear sprung from Noah's eye and left a salty trail on his cheek as he pressed a soft kiss onto his father's cheek, whispering: "I love you, Dad."

* * *

*wipes tears away* Yeah... uh... sorry. *hands out tissues*


	53. Content

I needed some time to recover from NaNoWriMo, but I think I'm slowly getting back ;)

If you have any wishes, don't hesitate to tell me :)

* * *

 **Content**

Olivia had a content smile plastered firmly onto her face as she snuggled up against Rafael and slung one arm around Noah, who was doing the same. Soft Christmas music was playing in the background, half-empty mugs of hot chocolate were standing on the coffee table, next to a plate of neatly decorated Christmas cookies. Their Christmas tree was already standing in the corner, decorated only with lights so far, and they dipped the room into a cosy light that created a nice atmosphere. Rafael was reading to them from a book with a calm voice, his expression relaxed, and from time to time, he swatted Noah's hand away from the cookies without looking up from the page, causing the boy to frown every single time.

The very moment Rafael finished reading the story to them, Noah sat up and looked at him with an accusing expression, mumbling: "Why no cookies?"

"Because you won't be able to sleep if you stuff yourself now, mijo. Also, we don't want them to be gone when abuela comes, right?"

"But I'm the cookie monster," Noah replied, starting to pout while pointing at the pattern of his pajamas, but Rafael shook his head while Olivia smiled, silently witnessing the scene between her boys.

"Noah, you can eat the cookies tomorrow. I promise, they'll taste a lot better then. And now it's bedtime, Mr Skywalker." Rafael put the book aside and Noah sighed before giving Olivia a good night kiss.

He slung his arms around Rafael's neck and while he stood up holding the boy, Noah mumbled: "Okay, Mr Solo. Night Mama!"

"Night, baby," she said, looking after them while feeling glad that Rafael and her had decided to be irresponsible for one day, leaving work very early with Cheshire Cat grins because they wanted to bake cookies with Noah and have a family afternoon. While playing with her hair, she felt like that had been the best decision they'd made in quite some time, especially considering the heavy workload they'd had lately which had threatened to kill their family life. This was something all of them had needed desperately.

"He's asleep," Rafael whispered with a mischievous smirk as he returned to the living room and sat down next to her, slinging his arms around her.

"So, if you're Han Solo, am I your Leia?" Olivia asked with a wink while Rafael's fingers played with the zipper of her (his) sweater, slowly pulling it down.

"Yes, Princess. Do you want to see my light saber?"

Olivia laughed, trying to keep the volume down so she wouldn't wake Noah while Rafael's smirk widened before he silenced her with a kiss. Immediately, she pulled him closer, her hands wandering under his t-shirt and roaming over his back.

"I missed you," she mumbled as their lips parted for a brief moment and Rafael pushed the sweater off her shoulders.

"I missed you too, Liv." He allowed her to pull his t-shirt over his head and then they kissed again, the kiss growing more passionate as Rafael pulled her onto his lap. As he'd freed her from her t-shirt, they paused for a moment, foreheads pressed against each other as they looked each other into the eyes, whispering: "I love you."


	54. A Thousand Years

A wish by barsonaddict!

I hope you like it :)

* * *

 **A Thousand Years**

Rafael's heart was racing in his chest as he stood under the white wood arch decorated with ivy and saw Noah walking down the aisle, looking incredibly proud in his blue shirt, grey suit pants and suspenders while he threw flower petals onto the grass. Shifting slightly, Rafael's fingers moved to fiddle nervously with his own suspenders – Noah and he wore matching outfits – but then his gaze fixed on the person standing at the other end of the aisle, and the little garden and the guests were fading away.

Olivia smiled softly as she slowly walked towards him, and Rafael took a shaky breath as he thought about how beautiful she looked – for a moment, he feared that he was dreaming. Her lace dress was cream-coloured and hugged her curves gently; her hair was falling around her face in soft curls and she seemed to be both nervous and happy as she approached him. She was bare-footed, just like Noah and him, and Rafael wasn't ashamed of the tears gleaming in his eyes as she came to stop next to him, handing her bouquet of white roses and lilac hyacinths to Fin.

"Hey," she whispered as Rafael took her hand into his, and they both noticed that the other one was shaking slightly. Rafael gently lifted her right hand and kissed her knuckles, as if to convince him that she was truly standing in front of him.

"Hey. You look wonderful, mi amor."

"Mummy is always beautiful," Noah piped up, and Olivia and Rafael laughed softly, feeling a little bit of the tension disappear for some time.

They looked each other into the eyes for a long moment, a silent question passing between them, and then they turned towards the official that would conduct the ceremony. It had been their wish to not have any long speeches, and thus it didn't take long until they were to exchange their vows.

Rafael could hear his mother and various other people sniff in the background as he looked Olivia in the eye and said: "Liv, you're my best friend, and since we met, you made me a better person and gave me my hope in love back. You remind me of the important things in life, and when I am with you and Noah, I don't need anything else, because I have everything I could ever wish for. You two make me the happiest I've ever been. I love you, Liv, and I vow to stand by your side, whatever may come."

Tears were gleaming in Olivia's eyes and she choked, her gaze wandering for a moment as she tried to compose herself, and Rafael squeezed her hands that were lying in his. But when she started to speak, her voice was steadier than he would have thought.

"Rafi... I love you for always being patient with me, even though it would have been justified to be make me laugh when I feel like crying, and you bring light even into my darkest days. From you I learned how love is supposed to be – on even ground, giving and taking the same as the other one. I love you, Rafi, and I want to squabble with you when we're grey and old. I vow to stand with you through darkness and light on the path that lies ahead."

They both nearly dropped the rings as they exchanged them, causing everyone including them to chuckle, and the official had barely spoken the words that declared them husband and wife as they kissed each other. Everyone rose to their feet and clapped, but Olivia and Rafael didn't even really notice; they were in their little bubble as they kissed again before Rafael picked Noah up and the three of them shared a tight embrace.

OoO

It was dawn when the long lines of lights hanging above the dancefloor and the tables in the garden were switched on and the musician announced the first dance of the newly-weds. Rafael led Olivia onto the dancefloor, a smile crinkling the corners of his eyes as he pulled her towards him, placing a soft kiss on her lips before the music started to play. It was a slow song and they danced closely together, their cheeks touching, and Olivia couldn't remember a day in her life on which she'd ever felt like this – unconditionally happy and content.

She didn't know why, but somehow she started whispering along to the song, her breath ghosting over Rafael's ear as she seemed to renew her promise from earlier.

 _I have died every day waiting for you  
Darling, don't be afraid  
I have loved you  
For a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more  
And all along I believed I would find you  
Time has brought your heart to me _

_I have loved you for a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more _

They both could feel the tears rising again and Rafael's grip around her waist tightened for a short moment before he leaned back to kiss her, causing them to stop dancing. It was true, they'd waited for this for so long, had endured a lot of pain and failed relationships, but right now, they both knew that it had been worth it.

Rafael gently wiped the tear away that had sprung free from Olivia's eye and she smiled as he pecked another kiss on her lips before Noah joined them. Slowly, their friends and family joined them on the dancefloor, and the three of them danced in the middle, as a family.

OoO

 _NEW YORK TIMES_

Worth The Wait – Crime Fighting Duo Seals The Bond

The 5th of June marked the end of a long wait for NYPD's Lieutenant Olivia Margaret Benson (48) and Manhattan's Assistant District Attorney Rafael Felipe Barba (46). Friends and family of the pair gathered to witness the emotional ceremony that included their four year old son, Noah, and celebrate the pair's love in a beautiful, intimate garden wedding. Though not the youngest bride and groom of the season or celebrating the most pompous wedding, the author finds that Olivia's and Rafael's love is one of the purest and truest and deserves more than a short mention.

Their story began in 2012 when Mr Barba transferred to the borough of Manhattan and began working with then-detective Benson and the Special Victims Unit. "They had a connection right away that only grew stronger with time," says one former co-worker who wishes to remain anonymous.

A strong friendship developed between them and never broke, even though there were some tough obstacles to overcome. Deeper feelings had been simmering beneath the surface for a very long time, but still it took them a long time to act on them – they'd both been fearing that things could fall apart.

"It wasn't easy to separate our personal and professional lives when we were friends, and we were afraid that things between us could go horribly wrong. But even though we still have disagreements at work, we found our way of keeping that away from our private life. When we shut the door at home, we leave the Lieutenant and the ADA outside," Barba explains when asked about how they handle working and living together.

"I never regretted this choice, not once," Benson adds, and they share a loving smile. "We never gave up on each other and fought for us, that's the most important thing, I guess."

And on June 5th, it was once again evident how much they feel for each other when the groom had eyes for nothing but his bride. The pair's vows were beautifully honest, and even someone who didn't know them could tell that there was a lot more being exchanged between them, proving how deep their connection truly is. It's not exaggerated that not a single eye remained dry and the author would like to thank the couple's son, four year old Noah, for the moments of levity - it truly is remarkable how far a child's voice will carry when the subject is wholly inappropriate. Upon their return from a honeymoon/family vacation to Disney World, the Benson-Barba family will settle on the Upper West Side.

OoO

Olivia smiled softly as she looked at the picture above the article – it was one of their official wedding photos, where they were standing in the hedge maze of their wedding location, Noah holding his parent's hands and they had carefree laughs on their faces. Maybe it was supposed to feel awkward to see her wedding written about in a newspaper, especially since she knew that quite a few people from her past would see it, too, but then, she also felt like she wanted to scream her happiness out to the whole world.

"I'm back," Rafael said as he climbed onto the bed and Olivia put the newspaper aside, smirking as his fingers started to toy with the belt of her silk robe. "So, Noah will be in the children's program for nearly the whole day... what are we going to do with all the free time, Mrs Benson?"

"Hm... I'm sure we can think of something," Olivia mumbled before his lips met hers in a passionate kiss, his arms slinging around her as he pulled her closer.


	55. Under The Mistletoe

I've been focussing on a Secret Santa fic for a Tumblr exchange which will come on Christmas and been working a lot lately, so I haven't been able to write much. Hopefully that'll change soon :)

I hope you enjoy this one!

* * *

 **Under The Mistletoe**

Olivia made a mental note to kill Carisi with her bare hands if she got hold of him the next time. How had this sneaky little bastard managed to hang up a fucking mistletoe in the frame of her office door, right under her nose?!

She could tell that Rafael was thinking the exact same in this very moment, a scowl on his face as he glared upwards, towards the green twigs that were secured with a red bow. His voice was merely a growl, something that would have intimidated Olivia hadn't she known him so well. "We'll do it together. And it will be slowly and painful for him."

"Oh, I wholeheartedly agree," she huffed, and Barba wanted to move on into her office, but she hurried to grab his arm. "What are you doing?"

"Going into your office?" Rafael replied, looking at her with a puzzled expression, and Olivia chewed on her lip for a moment.

"It brings bad luck to ignore a mistletoe."

Rafael barked out a laughter of genuine amusement, his green eyes gleaming as he looked at her. "Olivia Benson, don't tell me that you're superstitious!"

"Maybe... a bit... Karma is real, Barba!"

She knew that she sounded a little bit awkward, but she didn't care if she made him think that she was being ridiculous. It wasn't about the kiss, really... though she'd been dying to kiss these lips, sometimes wishing that she was a cup of coffee... Her mind was wandering once again, and she snapped herself out of it, throwing an uneasy look at the mistletoe before attempting to move, however, Rafael now gently held her in place.

"On the other hand, you're right... we don't want to provoke bad luck, don't we?" he suggested, his voice lower than usual and slightly husky, causing a warm tingle to run down her spine. His gaze wandered down to her lips, and they both leaned forward at the same time.

"No...," she mumbled, her breath ghosting over his lips before he kissed her softly, taking his time, and she felt like she was losing her mind a bit more with every second. Her arms slung around his neck as his hands gently touched her hips to pull her closer, and she felt like she never wanted to stop.

OoO

Carisi shared a pleased grin with Amanda as he snapped a few pics of the kissing couple with his phone before they retreated carefully. He'd reached his goal and he had pictures to prove it, and he already knew that everybody that followed his blog would rejoice when he put the pictures online.

* * *

AN: Well, Carisi's blog is a totally different story ;)


	56. Time Feels Like An Eternity

A request by Barsonaddict! I hope this is what you had in mind, I didn't feel too angsty today...

I'm looking forward to your feedback!

* * *

 **Time Feels Like An Eternity When We're Apart**

Rafael stirred and slowly surfaced from his light slumber as he felt someone poking him into the side. Blinking a few times in confusion, he turned and in the dim light that filtered in through the slightly open door, he saw Noah standing next to his bed, looking a little bit sad and lost as he clutched his stuffed penguin.

"Hey amigo, what's going on?" he croaked, and Noah shifted his weight from one foot to the other, looking down at his naked feet.

"Can't sleep. Miss Mama."

His confession didn't surprise Rafael at all, and he immediately cleared some space for Noah, the boy slipping under Rafael's blanket and resting his head on his pillow, a small smile lifting the corners of his mouth as he realised that it smelled like Olivia.

"I miss Mama too, amigo. But it'll only be a few more days," Rafael said, bumping his nose against Noah's, and the boy nodded with a sleepy sigh, looking a lot more comfortable now. After some time, Noah drifted off to sleep, adorable little snores leaving him, and Rafael watched him dream, unable to find sleep himself.

OoO

The next morning, after dropping Noah off at the daycare and giving him an extra long hug, Rafael made his way to One Hogan Place, having resisted the desire to call in sick for the day and do something with Noah that would distract them both. Feeling horribly tired, he stopped at his usual coffee cart and nearly ordered a latte macchiato to his extra strong black, out of reflex, and Joe, his 'caffeine dealer', how he jokingly called himself, seemed to notice his slip of tongue and tensing body.

"Did you and your lady have a fight? It's been a long time since I've seen you here on your own in the mornings!"

Rafael accepted the coffee and took a long sip of the hot beverage before he felt fit to reply. "She's in Europe, on a work conference. Promoting international cooperation concerning human trafficking."

His reply was curt, but Joe seemed to have picked up enough from his tone to understand, giving him an encouraging smile. "All trips have an end, and before you know it, you'll have her with you again."

Rafael handed him his money with an extra tip, said goodbye and made his way to his office, still feeling incredibly down. He'd never thought that it was possible for him to become so dependent on Olivia's presence – of course, it wasn't as if he wasn't able to function without her, but it was the longest time they'd been apart since getting together, and these little things they did in their daily life were now revealing their importance.

It felt awkward to grab coffee without her, to walk into the precinct and not be greeted by her smile. In the evenings, he cuddled Noah alone on the couch, missing Olivia joining or just watching her boys while they joked around. Noah and him had even agreed to skip the pancakes and waffles in the mornings, because they were some sort of ritual that had to involve her.

He missed her body next to him in their bed, the way she sometimes slung her arms around him and pressed against him while they slept because he was her source of comfort... her kisses, her scent, the way her skin felt underneath his fingertips...

Rafael glared at the heap of files lying on his desk as he entered his office, as if it was their fault that Olivia was away and his frustration was building up to challenge the Empire State Building. Why did that conference have to last that long at all? Maybe Interpol was trying to headhunt Liv so she would stay in Lyon forever, leaving Noah and him behind in New York?

His mind was making up weird, highly unlikely scenarios, making everything even harder for him, and he decided somewhere after a lonely lunch hour that it wasn't too early for a scotch or two.

OoO

It was already very late in the evening, way past Noah's bedtime when his phone buzzed and her name flashed on the screen, but Noah was still awake and just as excited as Rafael as he picked up his phone, answering the call.

"Please tell me Interpol hasn't offered you a job that makes you leave Noah and me behind," Rafael said breathlessly, not knowing why his mind had made him spit out this particular ridiculous thought, and he was glad that she couldn't see his ears getting red.

Her warm chuckle sent shivers down his spine and Noah's face lit up as Rafael put her on the speaker. _"Rafi, you should really try to cut the caffeine."_

"Mama!" Noah exclaimed, and Rafael was sure he could hear her sniff slightly.

" _Hey baby... How are you two doing? I miss you!"_

"We miss you too, Mama. Can you come home for my bedtime story?"

Rafael could picture her sitting on her bed, a sad smile on her face as she replied: _"I'm sorry, baby, Mama has to go soon... but I'll be back in a few days, and then I'll never miss story time, I promise!"_

"Okay..." A slight pout made its way onto Noah's face and Rafael ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Noah, say goodnight to Mama and then get yourself ready for bed, okay?" Rafael told him, knowing that talking to her longer would probably make him even more sad.

"Rafa, can I sleep in your bed again?"

Big, brown eyes looked at him with a pleading expression, and Rafael sighed before nodding, causing the boy to storm out of the living room to grab his favourite stuffed toys.

"I'll be so glad when I hold you in my arms again, Liv," Rafael confessed the moment Noah was out of the room. "It's just not the same without you."

" _I know."_

A moment of silence passed between them, but it wasn't negative – listening to her breathing over the phone was somehow comforting, even though he assumed that she was trying to control her tears.

" _Next time I'll send someone else. Or take you with me."_

Rafael chuckled lightly, wishing he could just kiss her right now, and he felt his stomach drop as she added: _"You need to get Noah to bed now, Rafi."_

"Yeah... just... just tell me you'll be with us again soon."

" _I will, Rafi. And even if Interpol offered me a job, I would decline."_

"Pinky swear?"

Olivia laughed, making his heart jump slightly, and this bit of familiarity would probably have to be enough to bring him through the next days. _"Pinky swear, you big baby. Now off to bed with both of you. I love you."_

"I love you, too, Liv."

OoO

Olivia released a sigh of relief as she quietly unlocked the door to the apartment, trying to make no noise as she dragged her heavy suitcase over the threshold. The last week had felt like an eternity and she'd been extremely happy when she'd packed her suitcase on the last day of the conference, but the separation from her boys hadn't been over as soon as she had anticipated.

A hell of a travel was lying behind her – the flight from Lyon to Paris had been delayed, causing her to miss her original flight to New York, then the alternate flight had to be cancelled... She'd somehow managed to catch a flight from Frankfurt to New York after getting the last seat on the machine to Germany, and now she was finally home, 16 hours after her original time of arrival.

All she wanted was to fall into her bed and sleep, and knowing that at this time of night, Rafael would definitely be in it was a very good reason to abandon all her stuff in the hallway.

The pale moonlight was illuminating the sleeping man she loved, and a smile played around her lips as she stripped off her travel clothes and grabbed one of his Harvard t-shirts to sleep in. He stirred when she slipped under the blankets with him and slung her arms around him, goosebumps covering her skin as she realised how much she'd missed him. To her surprise, he suddenly turned around and stared at her, his mind seemingly needing some time before it realised that she was truly there.

"You're home," he mumbled, his voice husky, and before she could say something, he'd pulled her close, kissing her hard, as if he was drowning and she was the last bit of oxygen. His arms slung around her body, his hands searching for bare skin, and suddenly, she didn't feel too tired anymore...

"Mama?"

The sleepy voice of their son caused them to stop, and though she felt a little bit of regret deep down, having missed Rafael's touch, she felt happiness as she opened her arms and Noah climbed onto the bed, snuggling into their middle.

"I missed you two so much," she mumbled as Rafael arranged the blankets over them before pulling them closer, a smile on his face. And that night, they all slept through for the first time in a week.


	57. Following Their Story

I dedicate this to the awesome Barsonaddict, with whom I can always discuss random headcanons when they pop into my head! Also, this is some kind of an homage to all the awesome Barson people on Tumblr! You guys are amazing!

I hope you're having a nice Christmas and enjoy this :)

* * *

 **Following Their Story**

Sonny was propping his feet up on his desk with a grin as he suddenly heared his phone buzz. Abandoning the cookie he'd been about to eat, he grabbed his phone and opened the blog app from which he'd just gotten a notification, scrolling through the text.

* * *

 _CoffeeForTwo_ has posted a new text

Yo guys, they're fighting again. What the hell did happen? I hate it when they're arguing!

 _Sharkwrestler_ replied

How do you know that? I saw them today, looked okay.

 _CoffeeForTwo_ replied

I always know when they're fighting, because then he only gets a coffee for himself. If they're happy, he grabs two coffees and her favourite pastry. When he fucked up and needs to apologise, he grabs a large almond caramel latte. He only got one coffee today.

 _SnackGirl_ **(admin)** replied

You're nearly as bad as them with your coffee science.

* * *

A short snort escaped Sonny as he read through the dialogue, exchanging a look with Amanda, who was sitting opposite to him, then he lifted his phone and typed a quick reply.

* * *

 _Lawyerman_ **(admin)** replied

CoffeeForTwo seems to be right, he just walked in, looking grumpy, and they're arguing in her office. Seems like he denied her a warrant again.

 _Sharkwrestler_ replied

God, these two need to get a room.

 _SouthernBelleMama_ replied

atSharkwrestler Preach.

 _CabanaGirl_ added a GIF

* * *

Sonny snorted again, this time very loudly about the animated picture showing off a scene from the Disney movie 'Arielle', one during which the song 'Kiss The Girl' was being performed, the words blinking colourfully. Amanda grinned at him from her new position at the coffee machine, and then returned her attention to the fighting pair in the Lieutenant's office, trying to catch some snippets of their heated conversation.

OoO

Excitement caused Carisi's fingers to shake as he grabbed his phone from his desk, having to correct a dozen typos before he had a postable text ready. Satisfaction was coursing through him as he hit 'Post' and proceeded to wait for the replies – it really didn't take long.

* * *

 _lawyerman_ **(admin)** has posted a new text

Guys, guys, I just had a talk with BadassBadge about our public enemy number one. She said "It's complicated."

 _weweren'tonthemoon_ replied

With her, this can only mean one thing. She's about to get rid of him.

 _Whydidisignupforthis_ replied

Oh yeah, definitely.

 _StayingLate_ replied

Haven't seen him around much lately – luckily. The last time (yesterday) they were actually arguing, he's claiming she's always putting TieGod or others as her priority instead of him.

 _FutureAbuela_ replied

Oh, this man. He's no good, too much of an ego needing to be stroked.

 _SlammerOfTheHammer_ replied

I don't now what she likes about him. Saw them interact at the courthouse, he's as cold as a fish. Chemistry of stale bread.

 _ObjectionWhoStoleMyNicknameIdea_ replied

Oh, told you back then, he probably bores her to death. When I see her with TieGod, though... damn, that fire. I always feel the need for a cigarette.

 _TheWorldIsMyPlayground_ replied

I saw enemy number one at the playground with her and BabyBadass once. The boy is fucking smart, he hates him. Threw a handful of sand at him, I was trying hard not to clap.

 _StayingLate_ replied

Remind me to buy BabyBadass chocolate today, he deserves it. Such a good boy!

* * *

Sonny grinned widely and made a mental note of secretly buying a gift for a certain toddler – he was on their side, and he could imagine that Noah's opinion mattered a lot to Olivia.

OoO

Amanda dove towards her phone after witnessing how Olivia Benson had suddenly left her office in a rush after having a look at her messages. She had a certain gut feeling about this, and she knew that there were enough people to share this with.

* * *

 _SouthernBelleMama_ just posted a text

She just grabbed her stuff and claimed she needs to pick up BabyBadass early.

 _StayingLate_ replied

I'm with him, we're at the park. So, no.

 _SnackGirl_ **(admin)** replied

He just left the office saying he'll have an early dinner with his mother.

 _FutureAbuela_ replied

He's not.

 _ArabesqueGirl_ replied

Oh great, you lost them again.

 _Sharkwrestler_ replied

It's not like we have actual jobs to do.

 _ChiefOfShipping_ replied

Considering that, we spent too much time here, though.

 _MiniChief_ replied

atArabesqueGirl do we want to have dinner later? Also, I met her in the elevator, she was texting someone

 _whydidisignupforthis_ replied

atMiniChief seriously, you couldn't just call ArabesqueGirl?

 _MiniChief_ replied

atwhydidisignupforthis You're sitting right next to me, you could have told me this yourself. STOP THROWING PAPER BALLS AT ME!

 _Dumbledore'sArmy_ replied

Now, does anybody know where they are?

 _CoffeeForTwo_ replied

Saw her grab a cab, alone.

 _PatrolOne_ replied

Saw him do the same some time ago.

 _CaptainOfUSSRelax_ replied

Seems like you forgot everything I taught you.

* * *

Amanda grimaced and started to chew on her bottom lip. For what felt like an eternity, she kept refreshing the page, hoping that anyone had information about where they'd vanished, and finally, she received a notification.

* * *

 _ScotchLovesCabernet_ replied

Guys, relax, I found them. They came in a few minutes ago, now they're sitting in their usual booth, talking. She looks upset, he's... OH MY GOD, HE JUST TOOK HER HAND

 _FutureAbuela_ replied

What are they talking about?

 _ScotchLovesCabernet_ replied

I don't know, atCabernetLovesScotch just interrupted them and he pulled his hand back

 _ArabesqueGirl_ replied

Oh, well done.

 _CabernetLovesScotch_ replied

It's not as if it was my job to go over and ask what they want to drink. Also, while you were complaining, I overheard that they are actually talking about enemy number one. She sounds genuinely unhappy.

* * *

Amanda tried to write an entry, excitement making her feel jumpy, but suddenly, the page needed long to load, and moments later, an information about the app having crashed popped up on the screen of her phone. Curses left her and from the scowls on the faces of Dodds and Fin she could tell that it had happened to them, too. Now they would have to wait until everything functioned again to hear what was going on at Forlini's.

* * *

A/N: Did you recognise anyone through their usernames? ;) And don't worry, this isn't the end of this arch yet :D


	58. How Long Is Too Long?

*clears her throat* Uh... I guess I'm getting closer to writing real smut...

I hope you like this^^ It kinda ties in with Chapter 56, as the subject is a bit similar.

Oh, and I did forget to thank you guys for over 300 reviews!

* * *

 **How Long Is Too Long?**

Olivia could feel the frustration simmer inside her stomach as she watched Rafael shifting to the side so Noah would have enough space between them. They'd just went to bed, having put Noah to sleep hours ago and she'd just wanted to tell him that changing into his sleeping clothes had been wasted energy, for she wanted him naked, when Noah had padded into the room, declaring that he'd had a nightmare. To her utter regret, she'd not been able to convince the boy that he could just go back to sleep, ultimately giving in to his demand to sleep in the big bed with them.

Lying in their middle, cuddled against them both, Noah drifted off into a deep slumber very quickly, and Olivia exchanged a glance with Rafael, seeing the same longing in his eyes that she felt currently.

Even though the physical part of their relationship certainly wasn't the most important thing, they both felt like they were going crazy. A heavy case load had kept them from spending much time together, reducing their quality time to quick coffee dates and hushed kisses in the morning. At first, it had been somewhat exciting, the anticipation, the thought that making love would be even better after the wait...

But now, it had been nearly two weeks, and Olivia slowly felt like she would jump him upon the first opportunity she saw. She felt desperate and needy, missing his touch, his kisses, the ways in which he drove her crazy, and only thinking of it would make her feel ten degrees warmer.

Rafael's fingers on her cheek pulled her out of her thoughts, her skin prickling and she leaned her face into his touch, as if he was the last drop of water in the desert. He smirked at her, and a silent promise passed between them, a promise that they would do everything to find an occasion to end the drought.

OoO

Only two days later, they were working late in Olivia's office, trying to get every detail of yet another case straight before Rafael would take it to court, and Olivia grinned mischievously as she noticed that the squadroom was dark, the only light filtering into the big room coming from the hallway and her office. Putting down her glasses, she looked at the man sitting next to her on the couch, a shiver running down her spine as she imagined all the things that they could do now.

"Rafi... everybody has gone home," she said, her voice slightly husky, and he blinked twice, his gaze jumping to the room on the other side of the window before smirking, putting the file he'd been reading onto the coffee table.

"Are you sure?" he asked while moving closer, desire burning in his eyes as he slung his arms around her body and unceremoniously pulled her onto his lap.

Olivia could barely concentrate as he started to kiss her neck, causing goosebumps to appear on her skin, and after a short look through the window, she moaned: "I'm sure. Now pants down, Counselor!"

Their lips crashed in a passionate kiss and Olivia felt dizzy upon the thought that her hunger would soon be stilled. Her fingers grabbed the front of his pants, feeling his growing arousal while he opened her blouse with shaking hands, accidentally ripping off a button or two. While his lips wandered to the outline of her bra, he unbuckled her belt, his hand slipping inside her slacks...

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me!"

Olivia and Rafael nearly fell of the couch together as Fin's voice startled them and they turned their heads, still tangled and pressed against each other. Fin was standing in the doorway leading to the break room, a disgusted expression on his face while holding a mug of coffee in his hand.

"Please, don't. I'm not sure if my insurance would cover the shrink. Don't you two have a home where you can do this?!"

OoO

Olivia couldn't handle the frustration anymore. The two weeks were full, and she was officially loosing her mind. She could barely sit still anymore, often pacing in her office while trying to compose herself, but sometimes, she utterly failed. So far, she'd already leashed out on Captain Tucker when he'd been in the precinct, telling her that IAB would investigate one of the uniformed officers assigned to SVU – something that had earned her applause and cake from her squad, though. Also, she'd told several people from 1PP to leave her alone with their politics, and she felt like her detectives were occupied sending out apologies behind her back.

Rafael and her had been so close to finally having sex several times, but every single time they'd been interrupted by something or someone. Lucia calling, waking Noah up again. The DA needing Rafael for a meeting early in the morning...

She just couldn't take it anymore.

Sleeping next to him, hugging him... it felt like torture, and they both knew the other one was relieved when they had to leave for work, because at least they wouldn't have the cookie they couldn't eat right in front of their eye.

And then, when she was close to loosing hope or ready to go find a lock for the precinct's ready room... an angel from heaven in the body of Dominick Carisi walked into her office, telling her that Amanda and him would take Jesse to a farm on the weekend, and if Noah wanted to come along. When Amanda and Sonny picked Noah up that Saturday morning, Olivia was sure that Rafael had never been so close to hugging Carisi before.

The very moment the door closed behind the Rollins-Carisi family and their son, they looked at each other, eyes dark with desire.

"The last one in the bedroom is cooking lunch," Rafael whispered before they dashed down the hallway, Olivia stumbling into the wall as she kicked off her shoes and Rafael accidentally smashing a vase as he pulled his sweater over his head while walking.

A giggle escaped her throat as she straddled Rafael on their bed, running her hands over his toned chest while he freed her from her bra. "Oh, there won't be any lunch today, Rafi."

He rolled them over, a smirk on his face as he pushed her sweatpants off her hips, together with her panties, mumbling: "I'm okay with that... I got the dessert."

Olivia sighed in pleasure as he ran his hand up her thigh and found her most sensitive spot with ease, teasing her, and her head dropped backwards as she relished in the feeling of him touching her. His kisses on her body wandered downwards and she gasped loudly, her fingers curling around his hair as he sent her over the edge for the first time, and a smirk lifted the corners of her mouth as she knew that this definitely wouldn't be the last time today.


	59. Live The Moment

Tumblr: thebarsondaily weekly drabble prompt – shower

(Set in the time when Liv was still a detective and didn't have Noah)

* * *

 **Live The Moment**

Olivia groaned as she stepped under the shower and turned the hot water on, hurrying to grab her shampoo and then her shower gel to cover her whole body with the wonderfully scented foams. She could feel the dirt disappearing from her skin, but still she went for a second and even a third round of gel, deeply inhaling the fresh coconut scent.

"Are you trying to drown yourself in there, Detective?" she heard Rafael's voice behind her, and she peeked through the curtain, seeing his smirk as he poked his head into her steamy bathroom before entering, taking off his dress shirt.

"No. Nick and I went dumpster diving today," she explained, a pleasant shiver running down her spine as the curtain was pulled back and Rafael climbed into the tub, brushing his whole body against hers in the process – she knew that he was doing that on purpose. "At least we found some important evidence."

She didn't feel particularly desirable when she remembered what she'd been doing the whole afternoon, but all coherent thoughts vanished from her mind as she felt his lips on her shoulder. Careful not to make her slip, he slung his arms around her and pulled her towards him possessively, his desire for her more than obvious. And she relaxed into his embrace after turning around, wrapping her arms around his neck as he kissed her, their tongues battling for dominance, and the day that was lying behind her slipped away.

All that counted was the present now.


	60. Happy New Year

I hope 2017 will be a better year than 2016! (And that we'll get a lot of Barson moments!)

Enjoy :)

* * *

 **Happy New Year**

Olivia didn't even try to mask her surprise as she opened her apartment door and saw Rafael Barba standing there, holding a bottle of champagne while shifting from one foot to the other.

"Wow, I didn't know that my party was the hottest one in Manhattan this year," she said, smirking while her voice dripped with sarcasm as she stepped to the side, letting him in. She'd decided to give a New Year's Eve party this year, so she could have Noah with her but still have fun with her friends. The owner of the building even had allowed a rooftop party, so they wouldn't disturb Noah's sleep if they wanted to celebrate longer.

"Yeah, you know, I felt in the mood for a bit of glamour, so I decided to dump the invitation from the mayor into the trash."

He handed her the bottle of champagne, letting his fingers linger on hers a little bit longer than necessary before he slipped out of his coat, revealing a rather casual attire – dark jeans, a green sweater that complimented his eyes and a white dress shirt that peeked out of said sweater.

"I'm glad you came." Olivia smiled, feeling the tingle in her fingers where he'd touched her, and she meant every word of it. To her, it was something special that he really decided to skip the party that he'd been invited to to celebrate with her and the squad.

"I spent the weeks before Christmas kissing their asses, so I thought it might be time to go to an event that I really want to attend," Rafael replied, shrugging casually before following her into her living room. Most of her squad was already there, greeting him while trying to act as if they'd at least thought that he might show up. Nobody had believed that he would really let the opportunity to do something for his career slip just to spend time with them... but then, Fin felt like he knew exactly why the ADA was here and not in some fancy ballroom.

OoO

They spent the time until midnight eating and drinking; everyone had brought something, contributing to a big buffet, and they shared amusing stories, especially about New Year's Eves that people of the squad had spent on duty.

Noah was bubbling with the excitement of being allowed to stay up until midnight for the first time – Liv knew from the previous year that he would be woken around midnight anyway, and so she'd decided to let him stay up this once. And thanks to his extra long nap, Noah was wide awake, climbing from one lap to the next, amusing everyone with curious questions, but he spent most of the time with Rafael, pouting a bit when he realised that the attorney wasn't wearing a tie or suspenders.

Olivia caught herself staring at them more than once, fascinated how comfortable they'd gotten with each other over time. On the other hand, ice cream in the park could make Noah connect to everyone, and they seemed to share a love for snacks.

A few minutes before midnight, everyone grabbed their coats and got onto the roof which provided a nice view over Manhattan; most of Olivia's neighbours were there, offering drinks and ridiculous party hats and glasses.

"How about you complete your outfit with one of these, Counselor?" Olivia asked with a mischievous smirk as she approached Rafael, one of the glittery 2017 glasses in her hand, and he slowly started to back off.

"Don't you dare, Liv!"

A bubbly giggle escaped her throat as she dashed towards him, causing him to whip around and flee – Fin gave them an awkward glance as they raced past him, trying not to bump into any people... Rafael was laughing as Olivia caught up with him and slung her arms around him to keep him from fleeing again, forcing the glasses onto his face.

"I don't know why you complain, Rafael, you look good!" Olivia laughed, and before he could react, she'd made a picture with her phone, causing him to grimace at her.

"If I find a single copy of this in the precinct, Liv..."

"Yes?" she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes, and Rafael glared, obviously not able to come up with something threatening enough to keep her from spreading the pictures.

"Can we negotiate?"

"What do you have to offer?" Olivia whispered cockily, ignoring how Fin rolled his eyes about them behind Rafael's back; Rafael smirked as he held her gaze, still looking his usual confident self, even with these ridiculous glasses.

"I wear these glasses for the rest of the evening and you don't put any pictures of into the WhatsApp group of the squad. And you also won't print it to hang it up somewhere. You just relish in this sight for tonight and then we'll never mention it again, okay?"

Olivia cocked her head to the side, looking at him with a calculating expression, then she smirked. "Deal."

They still looked at each other, not noticing that some people were getting irritated by them or that the countdown to midnight was starting. Only the voice of her son broke her out of their little moment. "Mama, Uncle Sonny just said you kiss for New Year."

Noah had a slightly disgusted expression on his face as Olivia lifted him from the ground, supporting him on her hip, and Rafael and her both chuckled. Pulling down his knitted cap so it covered his ears again, she gently said: "You don't have to kiss anyone. It's just what we grown-ups do, for luck."

"Oh... then you can kiss Rafa. He needs luck, so he has time to go to the zoo with me and see the penguins."

Olivia blinked in confusion while Rafael nearly choked on the sip of beer he'd just taken, but the moment he was able to breathe again, he started grinning, whispering: "Oh, when he puts it like this, it sounds absolutely logical, doesn't it?"

Noah was nodding eagerly while the people behind them were starting to count down from thirty, and someone was hurrying around, handing everyone a flute of champagne.

"I can't deny that... though I'm asking myself when you two started planning a trip to the zoo" Olivia sighed as the countdown hit ten seconds, and Rafael moved closer, shoving the glasses up his head so they wouldn't get into the way. Before they realised it, the countdown hit zero, and the crowd cheered as the fireworks illuminated the sky above the city.

"Happy New Year, Liv," Rafael whispered before leaning in and pressing his lips onto hers in a gentle kiss, his hand gently touching her hip. It felt wonderful, and he seemed to think the same, as he didn't show the intent to end the kiss – something she wholeheartedly welcomed.

Like from a great distance, she heard Noah make a sound of disgust, and then there was Fin, mumbling: "Yeah, buddy, I feel with you."

* * *

AN: *looks over the brim of her glass* Oh, well, the end turned out crappy^^ But for me slowly drinking 2016 away, it's also okay ;)

Have a good start into 2017, guys, stay true to yourselves! You're amazing! Thank you all for this huge load of reviews, they're always making my day :*


	61. Misconceptions

This is a prompt found on Tumblr, and barsonaddict added some ideas as well :)

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Misconceptions**

"Thank you for coming with me, Rafael," Olivia sighed as they walked through the long aisles of the hardware store, a thankful expression on her face as Rafael kept an eye on Noah while she inspected the sheer endless offer of wall paint colour options. "It's a lot more relaxing to have somebody watch him. I wouldn't be able to get much done if I were on my own."

"It's what friends do. I don't mind, it's fun." Rafael smiled softly while grabbing Noah by the t-shirt to prevent him from running away – Noah found the store too exciting to not try to go and explore everything. Olivia's landlord had informed her that her apartment would be renovated soon and that she could pick the floors and the wall colours.

"No problem, really, Liv. You had me at 'We can get ice cream afterwards'."

"Ice cream!" Noah piped up before Olivia could say something, and Rafael shared a bright grin with him.

"Noah, what colour do you want for your room?"

Even though Noah suddenly seemed reluctant, Rafael lifted him from his feet and held him so the boy could look at the endless colour samples that were offered. He stared at them for several minutes, a small finger touching his lip, then he threw a questioning glance at Rafael.

"What do you like, Rafa?"

"It's your room, amigo, thus you should pick a colour," Rafael replied, but upon seeing Noah frown, he sighed and let his gazer wander over the samples again. "Okay, okay... I like this green one, you could use it on one wall."

Pointing at a tone of emerald green, he saw Olivia smirk from the corner of his eye, and he laughed as Noah said: "Okay, I wanna this, Mama. Ice cream now?"

"We're nearly done, baby," Olivia told him while taking one of the customer samples of the colour Noah had picked, adding it to the light lavender and beige tones she already held in her other hand. "And then we'll get ice cream."

They walked down the aisle, Rafael still carrying Noah, as someone approached them out of nowhere.

"Rafael, mijo, what a surprise to meet you here!"

Olivia looked at the old woman in surprise, barely understanding anything as she uttered a string of Spanish sentences at Rafael before turning to her, a thick accent audible in her voice as she switched to English. "I am Sofia, I'm so happy to meet you!"

"Uh, hello," Olivia stuttered, completely confused about what was happening, but still managed to crack a polite smile, and Rafael seemed to be too shocked himself to bring light into the situation. "Olivia Benson."

"Oh, how rude of me... I'm Rafael's great-aunt... it's so wonderful to see you two. Well, three, I mean. I don't have much time, but I'm sure we'll see each other again soon, right?"

And with that, she vanished between the shelves with another elder lady, leaving Olivia, Rafael and Noah behind. Blinking in confusion, Olivia tried to process what had just happened – her gut told her that some kind of misconception had just happened, and it made her feel awkward.

Exchanging a glance with Rafael, she felt like he was thinking the same, and he shifted from one foot to the other.

Noah broke the tension that was suddenly hanging between them by enforcing his demand for ice cream, and they quickly brushed everything aside – they'd probably only imagined it...

OoO

"How can you not like cookie dough ice cream, Liv? Can you see how much you've shocked your son?" Rafael exclaimed, playfully patting Noah's head while the toddler stared at his mother with wide eyes, shock on his face. "It's okay, Noah, she doesn't know what she's talking about."

"I'm not a fan of vanilla ice cream," Olivia replied, shrugging before spooning some of her chocolate ice cream into her mouth.

"But cookies, Mama," Noah whispered before concentrating on the ice cream in front of him; Olivia and Rafael shared a smile, and she couldn't help but wonder if the three of them really looked so much like a family...

Suddenly, Rafael's phone started to vibrate on the table, and then again, again, as one message after the other arrived, and he looked slightly taken aback as the phone didn't stop buzzing for a good half minute.

"Someone seems to be very determined to reach you," Olivia commented dryly and he grimaced as he picked his phone up.

"It's my mother. Why does she leave twenty messa... oh, she's calling."

He picked up, opening his mouth to greet Lucia, but before he could say anything, her voice came out of the speaker so loudly that even Liv could hear every word she was saying.

"Rafael Felipe Barba, could you please explain to me why my aunt just called me and yelled at me why I didn't tell her that my son finally found a nice woman to settle down with and even has a baby already?! What aren't you telling me?!"

Rafael looked nearly panicked as he threw a glance at Olivia before clearing his throat and answering in a calm voice that impressed her greatly: "Mamí, listen. Firsteval, why do _you_ have to yell now? Secondly, I don't have any secrets, it was just a misconception, I promise! I just accompanied Liv and Noah to the hardware store and Sofia jumped to the wrong conclusion because I was carrying... Que?! Mamí, por favor!"

From one moment to the other, Rafael's confidence vanished again and Olivia thought that she saw him blushing before he stood up from his chair and put some distance between him and their table, wildly gesturing while speaking. Not a whole minute later, he ended the call and joined them again, an apologetic expression on his face.

"Sorry. Sofia thought we were married and Noah was our son, and... well, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." She smiled softly at him before reaching over and scooping some of his ice cream onto her spoon, pulling back before he could react.

"I thought you said you didn't like cookie dough ice cream!"

Smirking cockily, she let the ice cream melt in her mouth before replying smugly: "I said I didn't like the vanilla ice cream. I just wanted the cookie dough."

She couldn't deny that she felt relieved as the tension about the misconception was pushed into the background by some light banter and laughter – the thought that their comfortableness around each other had reached a point where it was obvious to strangers made her... uncomfortable. Because there were feelings that she tried to keep at bay, and she was afraid that everything they had, their friendship, their work relationship, could fall apart if he realised that she felt more than friendship for him.


	62. An Unexpected Discovery

Happy Birthday to barsonaddict! :)

Well, this was a spontaneous idea, I hope you enjoy this as much as I did :D

* * *

 **An Unexpected Discovery**

Amanda sighed as she stuffed her dirty clothes into a plastic bag she kept in the locker with her emergency clothes; it was late in the evening, the women's locker room of the precinct was empty and only dimly lit, and she was grateful for the relative silence. Carisi and her had just returned from an arrest, and their suspect had been the kind of man where she felt dirty when they only looked at her.

And so she followed her need to shower and change her clothes before going home, wrapping her big, fluffy towel around herself before proceeding into the shower room, in which there were three shower stalls. One of them was occupied, and she recognised the Paw Patrol towel hanging on the hook next to the shower curtain immediately. "Hey Liv."

Amanda wasn't really surprised about the Lieutenant's presence; they'd all had a lot of stress during the last days, and a short shower could be wonderfully relaxing.

"Oh, hey Amanda," Olivia answered after coughing loudly, sounding a little bit breathless, but Amanda guessed that she'd simply startled her a little bit. "I thought you would go home after the arrest."

"Ugh, I planned to, but this guy undressed me with his gaze and I didn't want to cuddle Jesse with this dirty feeling."

"Sounds reasonable."

Amanda sighed in relief as the warm water hit her skin and helped her to relax. "So, what are Noah's and your weekend plans?"

"Nothing special. Lasagna Saturday, and if the weather is good we'll go to the park."

"I'll go shopping – Carisi is coming along, so it's going to be a lot easier. It's really time for some new pieces in my wardrobe."

"Ah, nice... well, uh, are you done yet?"

Amanda frowned, puzzled about Olivia's obvious desire to get rid of her, and suddenly, a thought crossed her mind and found its way to her tongue before she could stop it. "Wait, you are alone, aren't you?"

"Rollins, I hope we understand each other when I say that this is going to be our secret."

Amanda gaped at the wall separating the two shower stalls, pinching herself, but this only showed her that this was in fact real, and that she'd just heard Barba's voice. Clearing her throat, she couldn't keep her voice from shaking in shock as she replied: "Uh... of course... I won't tell anyone, I'm not suicidal."

Running her hand through her wet hair, she wondered when the hell Benson and Barba had crossed the line like they'd expected them to do eventually? She knew that Dominick had fifty bucks in the betting pool Fin had set up, and the exact day was important to them.

"Can you leave now, Rollins?" Barba's voice sounded impatient, and Amanda could hear how Olivia slapped his shoulder, trying to shake the mental image off that suddenly sneaked into her mind.

"You're not done yet, huh?" she asked before she could bite her tongue, closing her eyes and inwardly cursing, asking herself when she'd lost control over herself. Olivia started to chuckle, but as Amanda could vividly imagine the glare on Barba's face, she hurried to grab her towel and got out of the shower, still a little bit confused about what she'd just discovered.


	63. Never Knew I Wanted It All

For barsonaddict and scintillateworld. Peer pressure ;)

I hope you enjoy this one :)

* * *

 **Never Knew I Wanted It All**

Olivia had known that Noah had taken a liking in Rafael as they started to spend time together outside work, daring to take the leap that would turn their friendship into more. His awkwardness with the toddler was slowly fading away with every occasion he picked her up for dinner and saw Noah, but they now both realised that they'd underestimated Noah's sympathy for Rafael. Staring at her son with wide eyes, she could feel a heavy blush creeping onto her cheeks; Rafael standing by her side looked just as flabbergasted while Noah gazed up at them with an innocent and interested smile.

Olivia could hear Lucy trying to stifle a loud laugh in the kitchen, gasping for air and an odd sound told her that the young woman was punching her own thigh with a fist.

"Sweetie... why are you asking this?" she questioned after clearing her throat and kneeling in front of her son, fearing that this could make something that had felt so easy and right until now complicated. Rafael and her had decided to take small steps, as they both felt like rushing into something with not only their friendship but also their professional relationship at stake could be a mistake.  
Noah bit his lip and smirked as he replied sweetly: "I like Rafa."

In this moment, Olivia realised that Noah had never said that about Tucker when they'd been together. So obviously Noah had sensed that Tucker had only spent time with her _and_ Noah to pacify her, while having no true interest in bonding with her son, even though he knew exactly that they were a package deal. And Noah liking Rafael a lot warmed her heart; it was a nice kind of happiness to experience.

"So when you getting married? Lucy say people who are in love get married." It was the second time he was asking this question within minutes, and it still felt awkward; Olivia could tell that Lucy was trying to suppress another fit of laughter in the kitchen.

"She said that, huh?" Olivia mumbled, eyeing the kitchen counter behind which she knew Lucy to be crouching – she felt like the young woman had had too much time to talk with her squad; they'd been making odd comments as well since they'd found out about their Lieutenant and ADA dating.

To her utter surprise, Rafael was suddenly kneeling down next to her, a smirk on his lips as he ruffled Noah's hair and said gently: "I like you too, amigo."

Noah moved forwards and slung his short arms around Rafael, who looked a little bit taken aback at first, but then hugged the boy back. Olivia could feel her heart jump as she saw a gleam in his green eyes that she had never seen before, and they smiled at each other over Noah's head. She was glad that he was reacting so calmly to this; it was still new to him to be around a toddler so much, and she would have understood it if he'd shown panic.

After saying goodnight to Noah, they walked down the street hand in hand, and she couldn't keep herself from pressing a kiss onto his cheek as they reached the restaurant at the corner of her street.

"What was that for?" he asked, looking slightly puzzled but holding her close, and Olivia smiled softly.

"For you bonding with Noah because you want to, not because you can only have me with him together," she whispered, and could tell immediately that he knew what she was talking about. He leaned forward and kissed her gently, his warm breath ghosting over her lips as they parted and he mumbled: "I never knew that I wanted a family, but now, I can see it all. I fell in love with both of you, Liv."


	64. Papí Is Here

A request on Tumblr: Rafael comforting someone!

I hope you enjoy this and my uncreative title^^

* * *

 **Papí Is Here**

Olivia ran a shaking hand through her hair as she watched Rafael pacing through their living room, holding Noah in his arms. He looked extremely tired, just as she felt; his hair was ruffled and his dress shirt crumpled, but he didn't seem to care. Sleeves rolled up and tie undone, he only had eyes for the toddler in his arms, humming a Cuban lullaby to the sleepy boy in an effort to comfort him.

For the last two days, Noah had been having a fever and trouble sleeping, and Olivia and him had bent their work schedules a lot so one of them would always be with him. They'd both slept just as few hours as their son, but at least his temperature was dropping now.

"Papí...," Noah mumbled suddenly after stirring and waking from his light slumber, his small fingers curling around the fabric of Rafael's shirt.

"I'm here, mijo. Papí is here," he whispered back, pressing a soft kiss onto the boy's temple while moving over to the couch. Even though she was tired and worried, Olivia couldn't help but smile about the sight – it still filled her with a wonderful, warm happiness when she saw the two of them interact like this.

Rafael sat down on the couch, Noah cuddling impossibly closer to his chest, and started to hum again; Olivia joined her two boys with a sigh, leaning her head against Rafael's shoulder and smiling as he slung his free arm around her and pulled her closer. His warmth seeped into her body, and his even heartbeat and the soft melody he hummed lulled her into a deep slumber, following her son into the land of dreams.

And soon, Rafael had to surrender to sleep as well, too exhausted to keep his eyes open even though he would have loved to watch the two most important persons in his life for a little bit longer.


	65. Following Their Story Part 2

Well, some of you guessed and got a lot of names right already, though not all of them :)

Sharkwrestler isn't Fin

ObjectionWhoStoleMyNicknameIdea isn't Calhoun

kohee was close with Munch ;)

I am definitely not done yet, so there's more to come! I hope you enjoy this :)

* * *

 **Following Their Story**

Part 2

Amanda surely loved her reality TV shows, but somehow, they'd lately lost their spark compared to what was happening in real life, just in front of her nose. After the blog app had crashed, outright panic had broken out; hushed texts had been exchanged, but no one had further information... thus she was relieved when the app started working again that evening. Turning off the TV as soon as Sonny gently nudged her with his elbow, careful not to wake Jesse, who was slumbering on his chest.

* * *

 _ScotchLovesCabernet_ has posted a new text

Now that this damn app is finally working again, I can tell you that the suffering isn't over yet. They talked about enemy number one, how he seems to be jealous and wants her to stop seeing TieGod outside work. She said she feels uncomfortable about him asking her to stop seeing her best friend. Their fingers nearly touched again at that point, but unfortunately, her phone rang and guess who called?

TieGod told her that she is a grown woman who can make her own decisions and that she could come and talk with him whenever she needed to, then she left to meet enemy number one.

 _whydidisignupforthis_ replied

This is going to take ages. I don't get why she allows him to treat her like this, it's not like her to accept bullshit.

 _FutureAbuela_ replied

I'm mentally preparing myself for a long phone call with TieGod during which I can hear that he is miserable but when I try to make him talk about it he claims that there's nothing between him and her.

 _weweren'tonthemoon_ replied

I know what you're going to say, but... I feel like she doesn't know what a healthy relationship is supposed to be... she's a strong woman, she needs someone who can handle that.

 _CaptainOfUSSRelax_ replied

He was out for our jobs several times and treated everyone, including her, really bad. I get that maybe she tried to get on a friendly basis with him upon taking over, but this... I'm really concerned about her. Maybe I should talk to her.

 _Lawyerman_ **(admin)** replied

Please, atCaptainOfUSSRelax, please do that. She lost her mind.

* * *

"Carisi," Amanda hissed, lightly kicking against his ankle, but he only shrugged mildly. She knew that he had a point, even though the words were harsh, and she hoped that anybody would be able to show a certain Lieutenant that the choices in her private life were worrying the people who cared a lot about her.

OoO

The squad was gathered around the conference table in the squad room, once again discussing evidence and leads that they could pursue – or rather, Olivia and Rafael had once again gotten into a heated discussion about whether or not they had enough to get a warrant. Like always, everyone was starting to occupy themselves with something else, and soon enough, everyone's phone received a notification.

* * *

 _Lawyerman_ **(admin)** posted a new text

10 signs you're just a second away from kissing your co-worker in the middle of an argument. Fire away.

 _MiniChief_ replied

Your hand twitches as you gesticulate, as if you're barely able to keep yourself from grabbing his tie.

 _SouthernBelleMama_ replied

You two forget everything around you as you glare at each other

 _TalkSpanishWithMe_ replied

Your gaze flickers down to his lips more than once

 _Lawyerman_ **(admin)** replied

You completely forget about personal space

 _whydidisignupforthis_ replied

The tension is making everyone's hair stand up

 _SnackGirl_ **(admin)** replied

The heat is rising so much that my M&Ms did melt in their bowl

 _Sharkwrestler_ replied

The betting pools are flowing over everywhere

 _SlammerOfTheHammer_ replied

Everyone on the streets stops, staring at their phones in anticipation, asking themselves if it's finally going to happen

 _SouthernBelleMama_ replied

Everybody can see the chemistry and how badly you two want to act on it

 _MiniChief_ replied

It's obvious that you're briefly trying to remember if you shaved your legs this morning...

 _whydidisignupforthis_ replied

… and ask yourself how traumatised your co-workers would be if you just grabbed him and snogged him on the conference table.

 _Lawyerman_ **(admin)** replied

Wow, 2 minutes. Not bad, guys. Voting polls for the most creative answer will go up soon, feel free to send more answers in.

* * *

"Fine! I'll try!" Barba suddenly exclaimed angrily, grabbing his briefcase and coat while Olivia didn't look all too triumphant, causing everyone to exchange worried glances. In fact, she looked defeated, and without saying another word, she walked off towards her office, not giving the ADA a second glance.

* * *

 _whydidisignupforthis_ posted a new text

Anybody else feeling like we missed something?

 _FutureAbuela_ replied

They're going to be the death of me.


	66. I Won't Give Up

A wish by barsonaddict!

I hope you all like it, and as you can imagine, this is right after 18x08.

* * *

 **I Won't Give Up**

* * *

 _And when you're needing your space  
To do some navigating  
I'll be here patiently waiting  
To see what you find _

Jason Mraz – I Won't Give Up

* * *

Rafael couldn't deny that he felt a lot of relief inside of him as he heard these words from Olivia, the ones he'd barely dared to hope for anymore. "I broke up with Tucker."

A part of him was rejoicing, but he did his best to conceal what he was truly thinking. Standing in the middle of his office, he looked at her and his hand gently touched her forearm as he asked: "Are you okay, Liv?"

"Yes," she replied almost immediately, but not too fast, and he could tell that everything she said was true. "It was the right choice. I couldn't imagine a future with him, and I panicked when he talked about retirement. We didn't want the same thing."

The tiniest of smiles lifted the corners of her mouth as she looked at him, and Rafael felt this all too familiar warmth inside of him, his heart skipping a beat as they held each other's gaze for a long moment.

"If you need something to distract your mind... you know you can always call me," Rafael said after nervously clearing his throat, hoping that this suggestion wasn't coming out wrong. He wanted to be there as her friend, not as the man who'd loved her for so long now. The last he wanted was for her to feel like he'd only waited for the opportunity to get closer to her again because he wanted to make a move.

Thus he could feel a weight lifting off his shoulders as she nodded, her smile brightening a tiny bit. "That would be nice."

A pleasant shiver ran through him as her fingertips touched the back of his hand before she walked out of his office, looking over her shoulder before closing the door.

Rounding his desk and letting himself fall into his chair, a soft sigh escaped Rafael. It was as if the tiny flame of hope was burning a little bit brighter inside of him – he'd never given up on her, just as he'd vowed to himself, and now it was possible that they were getting a second chance.

There was one thing he knew: he loved Olivia like he'd never loved before, she was the person he wanted to grow old with, and she was worth every single day spent waiting. And waiting a little longer was okay, because deep inside of him he knew that in the end, everything would be the way it was supposed to be.


	67. Date Night

Established Barson.

I hope you enjoy this, I am always looking forward to your feedback ;)

* * *

 **Date Night**

"Are you sure it was a good idea to call Benson on her date night with Barba?" Sonny asked, insecurity swinging in his voice; his gaze was fixed on the elevator doors, dreading the moment they would open.

"It's not like we had any other choice," Amanda mumbled back, trying to sound confident, but she also felt like she could have tried to make it clear to their suspect that he would have to talk with them. The man had insisted on speaking her superior officer before she'd even started the interrogation, and as Fin was currently curing a sinus infection, she was the one in charge tonight... However, the suspect hadn't listened, and so Amanda had finally called her Lieutenant.

Every second Thursday evening was date night for Olivia and Rafael, had been since they'd gotten together, and there was a silent agreement between the Lieutenant and her squad that they would only call her if everything was going down the drain. She trusted them to handle the SVU business on their own for a few hours, and so far, it had worked out superbly.

The elevator doors opened and Amanda straightened her back as she saw Olivia and Rafael get out, their expressions making it clear that they weren't happy about this.

"Wow, Lieu, Barba, lookin' sharp," Sonny commented with a smile, obviously trying to lighten the mood; Olivia was wearing a floor length, strapless black gown, her hair pinned up with a few strands playing around her face, and Barba wore a matching black suit.

"What was so urgent? We have tickets for the opera." Olivia ignored him completely while Rafael glared at the younger man; Amanda took a deep breath, feeling a little bit pathetic, but then, she could tell that Olivia was already annoyed, so maybe they could use that to get over with this even faster.

"Well, Mister Timmoson wanted to speak to my superior officer. I explained to him that I am the supervisory officer tonight, but he wouldn't listen."

"He was arrested while dropping his pants on a playground," Carisi added while Olivia plucked the file out of his hand, handed her clutch over to her date and marched straight towards the interrogation room, Rafael right behind her.

It was only a few minutes later when the pair exited again. "He's ready to admit everything. And we're going to make it to La Traviata in time."

"Thanks, Liv," Amanda said with a sigh, hurrying to get out of their way as Olivia and Rafael headed for the elevator.

Before the doors closed, she could see how Rafael handed Olivia her clutch, smirking as he said: "You're very good, Lieutenant."

OoO

"I have to admit that I was slightly turned on by the way you told this guy off," Rafael grinned as he opened his umbrella for them; they were just leaving the opera house, and it was raining heavily. Olivia chuckled, pressing into him as he wrapped his arm around her waist to hold her closer so they would both fit under the umbrella.

"I could tell. Still I would prefer it if our date nights would go by uninterrupted. I'd rather not make it a habit to interrogate people in a dress."

"But you looked so beautiful and fierce doing it," Rafael replied, fake pouting before kissing her softly.


	68. Birthday Surprises

It's February 7th - Happy 49th Birthday, Olivia Benson ;)

I hope you guys like it! :)

* * *

 **Birthday Surprises**

At some point in her life, Olivia Benson had stopped caring about birthdays. Age became a mere number not holding much weight to her, and birthdays were days that she usually worked through because her job was her life. She didn't expect any presents or festivities, and she never failed to make it clear to Fin that she would kill him should he dare to organise her a surprise party. A drink and words of congratulations from her friends and a self-made card from Noah were enough for her, and everyone who knew her was aware of that.

However, as she woke on the morning of her 49th birthday, she didn't know that Rafael obviously hadn't gotten the memo.

Blinking against the golden light of the early morning sun streaming into her bedroom, she noticed that the other side of the bed was empty, the sheets already cold. The next thing she became aware of was the smell of freshly brewed coffee which slowly drifted into the room, accompanied by something that smelled equally delicious. Just as she wanted to slip out from under the warm covers to go and investigate the door was being pushed open, revealing Rafael. He was in boxershorts and a t-shirt, his dark hair sexily ruffled; he smiled as he realised that she was already awake and approached her with the tray he was carrying.

"Good morning, Liv. Happy Birthday."

For a moment, she felt like rolling her eyes, but when she saw the content of the tray she changed her mind about that. A bowl of strawberries – she had no idea how he got those in February – accompanied a cup of coffee and a plate full with pancakes in the shape of a heart. There was also a small cupcake with chocolate frosting, decorated with small white pearls, and for a moment Liv was at a loss of words. This was the sweetest breakfast in bed she'd ever gotten, and probably also was the nicest way to start into the day on her birthday.

"Wow...," she whispered ultimately, smiling and carefully pulling him closer to kiss him. "Thank you so much, it's wonderful."

Rafael placed the tray in her lap after kissing her back and climbed back in bed with her, opening the New York Times after stealing one of her pancakes from the plate. A few minutes later, Noah came into the room with a happy smile on his face.

"Happy Birthday, Mama!" he exclaimed after Rafi lifted him onto the bed and hugged his mother while trying not to hit the tray. "I made you a card – Lucy let me use the glitter!"

Rafael and Olivia chuckled as Noah held the card out and a lot of the golden glitter rained down onto the sheets. "Thank you, baby!"

OoO

When Olivia arrived at work two hours later, she didn't care that she was smiling widely – she was happy about her unexpected start into the day and wasn't afraid to show it. She'd loved it; it had been sweet but not too much, and there really was nothing more she needed or wanted.

Thus, her face fell a little bit as she entered her office and spotted something on her desk. A huge arrangement of red roses rested in a vase next to a neatly wrapped present with a silk ribbon, a card lying on top of it. Upon approaching she saw that the card had two peanuts on the front that were holding hands, one of them saying "I'm nuts about you". It was something only Rafael could pick out, and she asked herself briefly if she had forgotten to tell him that she didn't want any presents. She was pretty sure she had, which meant that he was deliberately ignoring her wishes.

While she was grumbling inwardly about this completely exaggerated arrangement she opened the present and stopped dead in her tracks, her face softening with a surprised but happy smile.

* * *

A/N: hehe, I felt like being mean today ;) What do you think, what would Rafael give Olivia for her birthday?


	69. I'll Always Be There For You

My post-episode fix it of Episode 400 ;)

I hope you enjoy this!

* * *

 **I'll Always Be There For You**

" _No, thanks, I gotta go home to see Noah... I just wanna be with my boy..."_

Liv could feel the tears burning in her eyes while she choked out the words. Rafael's green eyes were full of worry as he nodded, and moments later, she felt his hand touching her wrist gently.

"Okay... Liv... you know that you can call me if you need to talk?"

His touch was warm and comforting, and Liv could feel herself calming down a little bit. She looked him into the eyes, a pleasant shiver running through her as she saw his genuine concern for her in them.

Feeling like her voice won't be reliable, she nods and slips her hand into his for a moment before taking a shaky breath and walking out of the courtroom, knowing that he was only one step behind her. If she needed him, she only needed to turn around and he would be there, and she couldn't find words to describe how thankful she was to have him in her life.


	70. Master of Persuasion

For the Valentine's Day Fic-A-Thon on Tumblr, organised by thebarsondaily

Prompts: plead, silk

I hope you like it!

* * *

 **Master of Persuasion**

"Liv, you can't be serious about working late on Valentine's Day!" Rafael protested as he marched into Olivia's office and dropped a clothing bag onto her leather couch, having talked loud enough to draw the attention of the squad. Olivia meanwhile hadn't looked up; sitting behind her desk, she was busily tapping away on her laptop.

"As you see, I am, Rafael."

"It's Valentine's Day!" Rafael said stubbornly, glaring at her. Pushing her glasses up her nose as she lifted her head slowly, Olivia took in the tuxedo he was wearing, but didn't react particularly to it.

"No, it's Tuesday, and the 14th of February, thus a very normal work day. Also, I don't see the appeal in spending a hell lot of money for romantic gifts and activities that would mean so much more on an ordinary day. All the forced romance and pink and red hearts... don't you find that completely exaggerated as well?" she elaborated while hitting send on her laptop and noticing how Rafael's face fell.

"But you asked my mother to take Noah for the night..."

Olivia nodded, trying hard not to smirk because she found his obvious disappointment more than cute – Rafael Barba was nearly pouting, and it definitely wasn't a sight she got every day. Opening one of the case files on her desk, she replied calmly: "I did, because I knew I would have to work late tonight to gather the evidence you wanted to justify a warrant."

"Oh, don't you dare to blame me, you could have done that tomorrow," Rafael huffed out, maybe a little overly dramatic. "Come on, Liv, you can't be serious."

"I really don't have the time to repeat myself." Liv grabbed a big folder with their perp's financials and opened it. "I need to go through this tonight, and I really can't concentrate when you keep harassing me."

Rafael couldn't believe that this was truly happening. This was their first Valentine's Day as a couple, and Olivia Benson was seriously about to ruin everything he'd planned so carefully for the last weeks. He couldn't even see the humour in the situation – normally, he was the more notorious workaholic of them, and still he was the one about to lose his dignity by begging his girlfriend to stop working.

"Liv, I have plans for us tonight," Rafael exclaimed, running a hand through his hair – she was driving him crazy with her stubbornness. "I have tickets for La Traviata and a reservation for a table in the La Grenouille."

As Olivia didn't even look up from the papers, he threw a glance over his shoulder and frowned – half the squad had gathered within earshot, curious glances on their faces, and they didn't even try to look like they weren't listening. Deciding that Olivia's behaviour called for desperate measures, he glared at the detectives before leaning over the table and lowering his voice to a whisper.

"I also put on the silk boxers you like on me so much, and please don't make me plead for the opportunity to make _you_ plead for me to take them off."

Olivia halted in the middle of turning a page and her gaze flickered up to see Rafael's suggestive smirk, and he couldn't keep himself from commenting: "I knew that would get your attention."

She frowned at him, gripping the page between her fingers tighter than necessary, and he knew that he was starting to change her opinion. "Come on, Liv, you can't say No to an opera that plays in France and is in Italian, to French haute cuisine in the USA and to a Cuban lover."

His smirk intensified and as the corner of her mouth twitched upwards, he knew that he had her. After taking off her glasses, Olivia slowly closed the folder and threw a glance at her watch, remarking pessimistically: "I'm not properly dressed and if we go home first we won't make it in time."

"Oh please, I'm prepared," Rafael answered in a low, sexy tone, winking at her before gesturing at the clothing bag she hadn't even noticed. "Well, don't complain if it is the wrong dress, you forced me to make a choice for you. And now hurry, mi amor."

"I hate how persuasive you can be," Olivia cursed while switching off her laptop and jumping to her feet while Rafael closed the blinds, which caused everyone on the other side to protest loudly.

Smirking, Rafael opened the bag for her while Olivia kicked off her boots and slipped her blazer off her shoulders, rolling her eyes with a small grin as he shrugged and said: "It's not my fault I always have the best arguments at hand."

He allowed himself to admire the sight of her in her matching lace underwear before dutifully handing her the dress he'd picked out of her closet. Olivia raised an eyebrow but didn't protest, knowing that she probably would have forgotten about that particular dress hadn't he picked it. It had been one of those things you try on, fall in love with, buy, and never wear in the end because it's too fancy for a normal date and too sexy for the occasional work event she had to attend for the sake of politics.

"You look stunning," Rafael told her a few minutes later, smiling while Olivia ruffled through her hair a bit. The floor-length emerald green dress clung to her, highlighting her curves and he had to gather some willpower to drag his gaze away from the low v-neckline. Olivia's cheeks were a little bit pink as she mumbled a Thank You and let him help her into her coat; the way he was looking at her, his green eyes full of love and admiration, gave her goosebumps and even after nearly a year of being in a relationship with him, she still felt in love with him like on the day of their first kiss.

And though she was opposed to the idea of Valentine's Day being a day of commerce and showing off, she was glad that he had been able to change her mind, and she felt tingly in anticipation of the evening lying ahead of them.


	71. Parents

Yup. Barsonaddict and I might have gotten into shipping Jesse and Noah and my shipper is showing XD

(If you happen to follow me on Tumblr, don't forget to enter my drabble giveaway to celebrate 120+ followers!)

Have fun with this little drabble :)

* * *

 **Parents**

"Look at them, how cute they are together," Amanda sighed, looking over to Olivia and Rafael, who were sitting next to her on the bench in the park. Sonny was snapping pictures of the scene they were witnessing, and Amanda and Olivia exchanged smiles while Rafael kept his eyes on the two children that were playing in the snow. To him, it still felt a little surreal sometimes that he really had a small family now and that they'd brought so much love into his life. Olivia squeezed his hand gently, as if she knew what he was thinking about, and when he briefly looked over to her, she leaned in to kiss him.

Noah meanwhile was teaching Jesse how to make a snow angel, making her giggle more than once, and Sonny nearly dropped his phone when Amanda said: "I feel like they're made for each other."

"Oh yes, he always says he loves to play with her more than with his other friends," Rafael adds and Liv and him smile while Sonny blinks in confusion.

"They're children, they're not even in school and you are planning their wedding?"

"Do you want to say that my son isn't good enough for your daughter, Carisi?" There was a warning undertone in Rafael's voice as he turned his head to glare at the younger man, the happy laughter of their children throwing snow at each other in the background not managing to make him look less intimidating.

"Show him, honey," Liv hissed into his ear encouragingly while Sonny seemed to try to decide what to do next.


	72. Just A Little Bit Longer

Written for my 120+ Follower Drabble Giveaway on Tumblr :)

For Untapdtreasure, prompt: "Do you ever think we should just stop this?"

* * *

 **Just A Little Bit Longer**

Dust was floating in the air of the archive of the 16th precinct and a few sunrays breaking through the small, rather dirty cellar windows dipped the rows of shelves with long forgotten cases into a dim light. Most of the time it was very quiet and peaceful in there, barely any detective coming down, thanks to the digitisation of most of the information.

However, the peace was interrupted very abruptly when the door to the archive was pushed open and two figures stumbled into the room, arms wrapped around each other and bodies pressed close. They were panting heavily, their lips connecting again as they pushed the door closed again and fell against it, the draft dispersing the layers of dust lying on the cardboard boxes.

A low moan escaped Olivia's lips as her head fell back against the cool door, her eyes closing as Rafael pressed kisses up her jaw and wandered to her neck, his hands gripping her hips possessively. He was driving her crazy with his stubble grazing against her skin, with his scent, with the way his lips always seemed to find her most sensitive spots.

"I missed you, Rafael," she managed to whisper while he pulled her blouse out of her pants, his fingertips immediately gliding over her bare skin, causing shivers to run down her spine. It was a little bit ridiculous that she was missing him after only a few hours – he'd spent the night at her place, like he always did when he didn't have court in the early morning. Three months of secret dates, stolen glances at work, waffles for breakfast with Noah. It was their little secret, and trying to keep their growing relationship hidden only seemed to fuel the fire burning inside of them.

And so it had become a habit for them to find a dark corner or a hidden room to share a few moments alone, trying not to get caught.

He pressed his lips to hers again for a passionate kiss and Olivia smirked into it as she loosened his tie and started to undo the buttons of his dress shirt when he suddenly pulled back. In the dim light of the room she could see how a little bit of insecurity flashed through his eyes, and then he asked breathlessly: "Do you ever think we should just stop this? Stop hiding and tell everyone that we're dating?"

Her eyes widened in surprise – she definitely hadn't expected him to ask her this anytime soon, especially not when they were just trying to get some alone time. And for a brief moment, fear flashed through her. Did he think that she was trying to hide him and their relationship because she wasn't serious about them?

"Rafael... I don't want to hide our love," she whispered, running her fingers over his cheek and he smiled, pressing his forehead against hers, their gazes locked. "I just like the excitement of our little game of hide and seek."

The smirk that appeared on his face when he leaned into her, his whole body touching her, caused a rush of heat to course through her, intensified by his hands brushing against the outline of her bra while he murmured back: "Just a little bit longer, then, mi amor."

She nodded faintly before their lips collided again and his touch made her forget where she was, the feeling of being loved deeply washing her away as her eyelids fluttered shut.


	73. Freudian Slip

Part 2 of my Drabble Giveaway on Tumblr.

For Roseau767, prompt "It's really hot in here..."

* * *

 **Freudian Slip**

Olivia rolled her eyes in annoyance as she tossed her phone onto the couch after finishing to read the message that Barba had sent her moments ago. It was Saturday, Amanda and Sonny had taken Noah and Jesse ice skating, leaving her with a whole day to herself, and of course Rafael Barba, local workaholic, had decided to chose this exact day to pull a weekend shift. Her plans for the day – cuddling under her favourite quilt with a cup of tea and a good book while the snow drifted past the windows – were crushed by his text that he would be coming over to discuss some aspects of the case they were currently preparing to take to trial.

It wasn't that she didn't like his company; in fact, she really enjoyed to have him around, something that might be related to the feelings that were simmering beneath the surface. Though currently she started to get a little bit frustrated – she couldn't deny the sexual tension between them anymore but she also felt insecure about acting on it. Their friendship and their professional work relationship were important to her, and she didn't want to ruin that by making him think she just wanted to have some fun with him.

She'd also planned to use this weekend to think about her next steps regarding him, if she should ask him out on a date to make her real intentions clear – and now he had to come over before she could decide.

The firm knock on her apartment door ripped her from her thoughts and she shook her head, telling herself to forget about her troubles for the duration of his visit. When she opened the door, she luckily found it not too hard to slip into their usual behaviour, grinning at him as she stepped to the side to let him in and said dryly: "Admit it, you texted while you were already in the elevator."

"Maybe," he replied with a smirk while shrugging his coat off and slipping out of his shoes, revealing a pair of very colourful socks that matched his perfectly knotted tie. "I noticed some smaller irregularities in the statement of the victim that Buchanan could possibly use against us."  
"And this couldn't wait until Monday?" Liv complained while they moved into the living room, not bothering to conceal that his visit was interfering with her weekend plans while she eyed his appearance. As always he was looking perfect, every hair sitting in the right position, not a single crease in his light blue dress shirt.

"It's not going to take long, I promise," he replied with a light eye roll and placed his briefcase on her couch before shrugging his suit jacket off, frowning. "Wow, it's really hot in here..."

She didn't know why she said what she said next – she assumed that the filter between her brain and her mouth had malfunctioned for a brief moment, allowing the first thought that came to her mind to slip out of her.

"Well, it's entirely your fault when you wear so many clothes... maybe you should take them off," she said with a dirty smirk before she could stop herself, and in the split second before the embarrassment kicked in, she actually had time to admire his flabbergasted expression. Rafael Barba wasn't easily caught off guard, and so there was some satisfaction about taking in how his green eyes widened and his lips parted in a surprised gasp.

However, only a moment later Olivia realised the nature of her words and felt herself blushing immediately while the smirk slipped off her face. Her voice was shaking slightly as she hurried to stutter: "Uh... _some_ clothing, I mean... you don't... it's cold outside and I wanted to cuddle in and please can we forget I said that?"

They stared at each other for quite some time, and with every blink of her eyes the hope that he would just ignore her statement continued to vanish. And to her utter surprise, he suddenly started grinning mischievously, stepped closer and murmured: "What an interesting Freudian Slip."

Olivia gulped hard as his scent, paired with that damn handsome face and sexy way of moving, started to confuse her senses and then he gave her a glance that was more than an invitation. She didn't waste any time with letting him say it out loud, she just wrapped her hand around his tie and pulled him in for a heated kiss – and the room temperature only seemed to rise after that.


	74. A Time For Change

Part 3 of my Barson Drabble Giveaway on Tumblr :)

For Barsonaddict, prompt: "It's not like I missed you or anything."

* * *

 **A Time For Change**

Olivia smiled at the barista and placed a dollar note on the counter before taking the tray with two coffees and the paper bag with pastries and leaving the coffee shop. The spring sun was shining down from a cloudless blue sky, warming New York for the first time in the year and only lifting her mood as she walked down the street. Every familiar face she came across as she walked into One Hogan Place received a chipper greeting, something that earned her a slightly irritated glance from Rita Calhoun as she momentarily stopped intimidating a very young ADA.

"Good morning Carmen," Olivia said as she walked towards Barba's office and the assistant smiled knowingly to herself, telling her that he was in his office.

She didn't even notice that her smile was even wider than before as she opened the door with her elbow and entered the office. "Look who's back from his holiday. I lost ten bucks to the squad because I did bet that you wouldn't want to leave the beautiful, sunny Maldives to come back and work with us."

She strode up to his desk, her heart skipping a beat as he smirked at her and held her gaze while she handed him the coffee. "That's weird," he replied while she sat down on one of the visitor chairs and opened the pastry bag. "Whenever I had a Wifi connection I received messages from your detectives in which they complained that you terrorised them with your foul mood. And now it's my first day back, I haven't even had time to start my laptop and you're already here."

His smirk widened triumphantly as he leaned back in his chair and Olivia hated that her cheeks started to glow and her smile became a little bit crooked.

"Uh... it's not like I missed you or anything... your replacement was just a pain to work with and I had a migraine and..."

Her attempt of an explanation turned into babbling and as she hurried to take a sip from her coffee she burned her tongue. Rafael continued to smirk at her, and she just knew that he wouldn't let that slide.

"You can admit that you missed me, Liv," he said, his voice suddenly surprisingly soft and he abandoned his coffee, standing up and sending her imagination into overdrive. But surely it wouldn't happen the way she saw it in her head, with him coming towards her to tell her...

"Because I missed you too."

She blinked in surprise and was sure that she'd gaped at him for a moment before she managed to get her expression under control. Was this truly happening, or was she still lying in bed, dreaming?

Rafael's fingertips brushing against the back of her hand convinced her that this was reality, and she listened in positive disbelief as he explained: "I had a lot of opportunities to think about things on that island. Things I forced myself not to think about for quite some time."

He gently took her hand and Olivia couldn't do anything except for holding on to him and waiting for him to gather the courage to take the step they'd been destined to take for months, maybe even years.

"Liv, you're the most important person in my life, and you've become more than a friend to me. I know it's going to change a lot, but... will you go on a date with me?"

Olivia's heart jumped and she smiled, happiness flooding her insides. "I would love to," she whispered softly, and the slightly nervous expression on his face vanished while he took her second hand and their fingers laced through each other.


	75. Winter Comfort

Last part of my Barson Drabble Giveaway on Tumblr!

For raul-e-esparza, prompt: "You are kidding, right? Please tell me it's a joke!"

Thanks for all the reviews, once again :)

* * *

 **Winter Comfort**

"We're going to da park!" Noah chanted in excitement while Rafael helped him tie the laces of his winter boots, kneeling in front of the boy. A soft smile played around Rafael's lip as he listened to his excited babbling about building the biggest snowman Central Park had ever seen, and he couldn't help but share the enthusiasm.

"Yes, mijo, it will be the best snowman of all." He ruffled through Noah's brown hair and the boy beamed up at him as he finished lacing his shoes.

"Thanks, Papí."

Even more than a year after Noah had started calling him Papí, it still made his heart jump in joy whenever the word came over the boy's lips. It had been difficult to adjust to dating a single mother, but Olivia and Noah had been patient with him, and over time he'd become so comfortable with Noah that he could barely remember the occasions on which he'd been filled with horror by merely thinking of being around the curious boy.

Noah and he were slipping on their winter coats as Olivia stepped into the hallway, phone in her hand and an apologetic expression on her face. "I'm sorry, Fin just called, we have an important case and I need to go."

Noah immediately started pouting and Rafael joined him, complaining: "But Liv, the snowman...You are kidding, right? Please tell me it's a joke!"

"I don't have much of a choice," she replied with a sigh, grabbing her purse after leaning down and giving Noah a kiss on the cheek, which he immediately wiped away. "You can handle this, Papí, I trust you."

Rafael rolled his eyes as she slung her arms around his neck and kissed him softly while Noah was occupied searching for his favourite wool hat. "I know I can handle going to the park and building a snowman with Noah on my own. I was just looking forward to having a family afternoon with my two favourite people and then dropping off Noah at my mother's place so we two can test our fireplace. And the bathtub."

He'd lowered his voice towards the end of the sentence, giving her a meaningful glance that hinted at all the dirty plans they'd had for their free evening and night. A hint of regret and longing flickered in her brown eyes and for a second he thought that she would start pouting, too. They'd been in a lot of stress lately, trying to balance moving into a new, bigger apartment together and a heavy caseload, and today would have been the first evening to themselves in quite some time.

"I'll try to get out as early as possible," she whispered with a smirk, pecking his lips. "I promise."

OoO

The next hours were hard for her, and not only because the case was one of the harder kind. She felt regret about not being able to be with her boys on the first day that they'd managed to save for their family, and she missed them. Of course she didn't let that influence her work, but she was still looking for opportunities to delegate work so she could possibly leave earlier.

When she had time to check her phone she saw the pictures Rafael sent her, labelled 'Your boys love you, Liv' – a selfie of Noah and Rafael in the snow, one of a snowman that was taller than Noah, one of Noah making a snow angel with a happy laugh on his face. A sigh left her and Fin lifted his head.

"Liv, I think Rollins, Carisi and I can handle it from here. Come on, get out of here, girl."

She smiled and hugged him after he'd handed her her coat and purse, whispering a thank you into his ear before storming towards the elevator. It was already late in the afternoon and she knew that Rafael had already brought Noah to his mother's place, but still she hurried to grab a cab and get home.

To her utter surprise, Noah ran down the hallway when she unlocked the door and stepped inside, and then he threw himself into her arms. "Mama! Papí and I had so much fun in the snow!"

"Hey baby," she whispered and pulled her son close, looking up at Rafael who stood in the doorway to the living room. "Why aren't you with Abuela?"

"I called my mother and she will take him tomorrow, so we can still have our family time," he explained and Liv lifted Noah so she could walk over to Rafael with him, kissing him softly.

"Thank you."

"Everything for you, mi amor. Now come on, Noah decided that we'll have a picnic in front of the fireplace."

They shared another kiss and a loving glance while Noah piped up: "We have pizza!"

Olivia let Rafael pull her into their living room, past the cardboard boxes they hadn't unpacked yet towards a big pile of blankets and pillows in front of the fireplace. And in this moment she felt the stress vanish; contentment took over as they ate pizza and then snuggled up in front of the fire, Noah falling asleep to Rafael reading to them from one of Noah's books.

"I love you," she whispered over the crackle of the burning wood and Rafael smiled, trying not to wake the sleeping boy in his arms as he leaned over to kiss her.

"I love you too, Liv."


	76. One Of These Couples

Noooon, je ne regrette rien.

Have fun with this little drabble, I hope you like it :)

* * *

 **One Of These Couples**

"I can't believe Olivia and you turned into one of these couples," Rita growled while she paced the length of Rafael's office, glaring at Rafael, who was sitting on the leather couch, seemingly unimpressed by her rant. "You're so happy that you're trying to infect everyone with your happiness so everyone around you can do the goo goo eyes too and you get to host dinner parties for couples and only use the word 'we' when you're telling people what you're going to do next weekend. But not with me!"

"Rita," Rafael said calmly, keeping his eyes on her. "You're one of my oldest friends, I just want you to be happy!"

"I _am_ happy! I got a very successful career, more than enough clients..."

"And nobody to go home to." She whipped around and her glare intensified, but Rafael didn't even flinch. Olivia and he had practiced this conversation – he had to admit that he was being more bold than Olivia had planned – and he also had enough experience in fighting with Rita that he knew how far he could go.

"I'm not lonely!" Rita exclaimed firmly, emphasizing every word with a sharp gesture. "I took in a kitten last week!"

Rafael raised his eyebrow, and before he could stop himself his first thought slipped out of his mouth. "Great, you're taking big steps towards turning into a crazy cat lady, Rita."

He could literally feel the kick Liv would have given him had she been there, and he winced inwardly about his inability to keep his snark at bay for five minutes. Rita crossed her arms in front of her chest and he could tell that she was calculating if it was worth it to use a Krav Maga trick on him to make him pay for his comment. Before she could make a decision, Rafael added: "Come on, it's only one date. You don't have to go on a second one if you don't want to, and I'm not going to stress you about that. Just give it a chance."

The brief sigh of defeat leaving her showed him that he'd won, and he couldn't keep himself from smirking as Rita pinched the bridge of her nose and grumbled: "Fine. One date. And who is this guy?"

"Nah nah nah, do I have to give you the definition of a blind date? Just trust me, it's going to be a match, even though it won't look like one on first sight."

"The last time I blindly trusted you we both woke up with the worst hangover, were late for our exam and I threw up on Professor Goldenberg's shoes, so excuse me when I'm slightly tentative here!"

The memory made Rafael chuckle loudly and Rita rolled her eyes as he said: "Hey, you still aced it. I'll text you with the location and time."

She gathered her belongings and with a muttered 'I hate you' she was out the door. Rafael fished his phone out of his pocket and called Olivia, a triumphant smirk on his face. "She agreed, mi amor."

" _He did, too. I hope I'm right about the way Fin looks at her."_

"Your intuition rarely fails you, even though it proves to strain my nerves sometimes. But Rita said something that has me pondering... She said we're turning into one of these couples that are so happy that they want to make everyone around them happy too. Do we like that or not?"

" _Huh...,"_ Liv made and for a moment she was silent, obviously thinking closely about her answer. _"I say we like it. Do we?"_

"Hell, yes," Rafael grinned and they both laughed lightly. "I can't wait for the day on which Noah says we're the most embarrassing parents. See you for lunch, mi amor."


	77. One Of These Couples 2

A continuation of my last drabble – I hope you like it! I just felt like writing Rita together with Barson :)

A thanks to barsonaddict, who gave the idea for the end! ;)

* * *

 **One Of These Couples**

 **Part 2**

Olivia and Rafael spotted Rita the moment they stepped out of the courtroom; with a single exchanged glance they agreed that this was the right time to corner her about the blind date they'd arranged for her. They started moving towards her, but then she saw them too: her brown eyes widened a bit, then she whipped around and strode down the hallway in a remarkable speed for someone who wore heels.

Of course this only encouraged Olivia and Rafael to follow her quickly, and when Rita got into the elevator, desperately pressing the button, they simultaneously sped up. It was almost whimsical how they both managed to slip into the elevator before the doors closed, and Rita gave them a glare.

"Oh, great, Tweedledee and Tweedledum," she said dryly and crossed her arms in front of her chest defensively – of course she knew exactly why they'd pursued her.

"And a good morning to you, Rita," Rafael replied casually while Olivia cocked her head to the side with a smirk, able to spot the tiny, uncomfortable shift Rita made. "So, how was your Friday evening with Fin?"

"We already figured that it must have went well, as Fin was really chipper this morning, but we thought we'd ask you too," Olivia added and Rita gave her a foul look for her extensive use of 'we'.

Rita pressed her lips together and continued to glare at them for a long moment, as if she was trying to figure out how likely it would be that they followed her around until she'd given a statement, then she replied curtly: "We had a nice dinner and a pleasant conversation."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Details?" Rafael questioned, ignoring her obvious reluctance to give them a deeper insight into her blind date with Fin.

"Don't you think we deserve some, considering that we arranged this for you?" Liv said, supporting Rafael's digging, and Rita frowned at them and their identical expressions of curiosity. "Though it seems like you think it went well, too. It's pretty obvious, actually, that you're not going to decline if he asks you on a second date."

Rita couldn't keep herself from gasping slightly, her eyes widening as her gaze jumped between them. "Excuse me? This is ridiculous, on what do you base th..."

"Exhibit number one," Rafael chimed into her upcoming rant with a grin and gestured at the berry coloured sheath dress with a flowy skirt she was wearing to her cream belted blazer – it was quite a contrast to her usual attire. The tiniest bit of pink appeared on Rita's cheeks and she gave her best to conceal it by trying to stare them down, but of course Olivia and Rafael hadn't missed it.

After a few moments of annoyed silence, she opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again, seeming to have second thoughts about her original choice of words. "Are you so bored of each other already that you have to stick your noses in other people's business?"

"I would say it's rather the opposite," Olivia pointed out, Rafael and her exchanging a glance and a suggestive smirk, causing Rita to cover her face with her palm.

"Oh god, please spare me the details. What do I have to do to get you to leave me alone?!"

At this point she didn't even care anymore that she sounded pleading and ready to do anything to stop them from pestering her. Her nags obviously seemed to sense this bit of desperation, and exchanged another smirk, looking disgustingly triumphant.

"A double date," Rafael replied as if he were talking about the weather, and Rita made a strangled noise before muttering something unintelligible under her breath. The elevator doors opened slowly and she grumbled a 'Fine' under her breath before hurrying to leave, not seeing anymore how Olivia and Rafael bumped their fists together.

With friends like these, she really didn't need enemies anymore.


	78. We'll Stay Together

Entry for thebarsondaily's weekly drabble prompt on Tumblr.

 **Prompt:** flowers

I hope you enjoy this – and once again _Thank You so much_ for all those reviews, favourites and follows!

After 'Know It All'

* * *

 **We'll Stay Together**

Olivia had been expecting a lot of things after forcing herself to walk away from One Hogan Place the moment Rafael vanished through the door. If she were honest, most of those scenarios in her head were the worst, and included a completely drunk Rafael, having a breakdown in front of her because the DA fired him.

So when she opened the door to her apartment, her heart racing in anxiety, and saw Rafael smile at her, holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers in his hands, she had to admit that she was a bit flabbergasted.

And so he was the first to speak when she stepped back to let him in, his voice sounding relaxed and soft, matching the expression on his face. "I came to thank you, Liv. I don't know if I would have been able to get through this without your support."

He slipped out of his shoes and coat smoothly, then seemed to realise that he hadn't told her about the outcome of the meeting yet and that she was shifting nervously. "I get to keep my job, no consequences," he added and Liv sighed in relief, the corners of her lips lifting, and now she was able to return his smile.

"Thank you so much, Liv," Rafael whispered genuinly and she took the flowers, their sweet scent mingling with the of his cologne as he moved to kiss her cheek. Her skin tingled pleasantly at the contact and their faces were only inches apart as he looked her into the eyes. "The one thing I was most scared about was not being around you anymore."

His confession made her heart skip a beat and before she knew it she leaned forward a bit, brushing her lips against his – they didn't need any words to understand each other in this moment.


	79. A Misunderstanding

Now barsonaddict wished to read about how Olivia and Rafael became the most embarrassing parents to Noah. Here it is – coincidentally, we two once outlined something like that (ages ago), so I'm using that for this story ;)

I hope you enjoy this!

* * *

 **A Misunderstanding**

Rafael hated it when he was forced to take work home with him, forcing him to cut the precious family time with Olivia and Noah short – the weekends hurting especially – but once again it hadn't been preventable. And so he was just taking notes while reading through a file, focused on the complicated case, when Noah walked up to him, shuffling awkwardly from one foot onto the other while his fingers played with the hem of his sweater.

"Papí... how... how do you ask a girl if she wants to... you know... uh..."

Noah seemed so nervous about his question that he stuttered and ultimately gave up; meanwhile, Rafael's eyes were widening in shock and he slowly lifted his head. Was Noah really asking him _that_ question?

He started sweating slightly and put down his pen. "It's... well, it certainly is an important question... you know, uhm... consent is important for being intimate..."

A look of horror crossed Noah's face and he squeaked out: "Papí! I only want to ask her if she wants to have an ice cream date with me! I'm twelve years old!"

They heard a loud snort from the couch when Olivia choked on her tea, laughing loudly while coughing, and the massive embarrassment Rafael felt was spiking as his wife continued to gasp for air, tears flowing down her cheeks by now. A part of him was pissed that she hadn't told him right away that their son meant 'date', not 'sex', especially now that she was so amused about his mind jumping to the wrong conclusions.

Rafael's cheeks were crimson as he looked at Noah, trying to think of any good advice to give his boy. It wasn't like he was an expert on dating... His mouth opened and closed for a few times while he wrecked his brain.

"How did you ask Mama out?" Noah asked, obviously trying to help his father, but Olivia immediately laughed a little bit louder and harder, her whole body shaking.

Gulping hard, Rafael thought back to that night nearly ten years ago when Olivia and him had gotten drunk and confessed their feelings after sleeping with each other... Immediately, his blush darkened impossibly and he cleared his throat before answering diplomatically: "That's not an appropriate story to tell a twelve year old."

Noah closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, looking like he couldn't believe this was truly happening, then he said: "Mama... Papí... you're the most embarrassing parents."

Olivia stopped laughing for a moment, her face red from the exhaustion, and she met her husband's gaze, then they grinned triumphantly at each other and both started giggling again, Liv choking out: "I have to call Lucia!"

Noah shook his head and marched off to his room, not wanting to put up with them any longer. He'd just wanted some good tips on how he could ask Jesse on a date, for god's sake!


	80. Double Date

As so many people wanted to read it, here it is: the Barson and Calhola double date ;)

I hope you guys like it, and if you like Rita and Fin together, check out the drabble collection I started on them!

* * *

 **Double Date**

"I'm so excited," Olivia said with a cheeky grin while Rafael helped her out of her coat and placed it on the coathanger closest to their table. "I can't wait to see them together."

Tonight their (forced) double date with Rita and Fin was finally happening – ever the lawyer, Rita had tried to talk herself out of the affair, but Olivia and Rafael had remained stubborn, not agreeing to any of the deals she'd offered them. In the two weeks that had passed since Rita's and Fin's first date together they'd managed to never be spotted in the same place together, even though literally everybody knew that they were continuing to meet.

"I hope Rita's mood is better than it was when I saw her this morning. She went for very uncreative insults," Rafael stated while he sat down next to her, briefly touching her knee, and gave her an affectionate smile.

"We'll just be a bit more tactful than we were the last two weeks," Olivia suggested with a smirk and Rafael nodded with a chuckle. A moment later they spotted a couple walking past the windows of the restaurant; Fin had his hand on Rita's lower back, grinning softly as he watched Rita laugh about something he'd said.

While they entered and took their coats off, Olivia and Rafael exchanged grins – to them, it had already looked really promising. Rafael was sure that he hadn't seen Rita so relaxed since their time at Harvard, and Olivia had a very good feeling about how much Fin was smiling lately.

When they approached Olivia and Rafael, they were both looking less reluctant than they would have expected them to be, and they even returned the smiles their friends were giving them as they greeted them.

An awkward silence was hanging over their table for some time after Rita and Fin had sat down and ordered their drinks – Rita and Fin both weren't used to situations like this, and Olivia and Rafael were desperately trying to keep themselves from asking the two of them for details about their relationship and dates.

Ultimately, Rita cleared her throat after taking a sip of her wine and said with a hint of annoyance: "Well... I guess Fin and I have to thank you for setting us up."

"Yeah," Fin agreed, and they could tell that he was taking Rita's hand under the table, causing Olivia and Rafael to smirk. "Without your help it probably would have taken ages for me to gather the courage to ask Rita out."  
Rita and Fin shared a short, sweet smile, and Olivia had to bite her bottom lip to keep herself from squealing out loudly; she hadn't seen Fin like this in a long time. He'd been having lots of short-lived flings, trying not to commit to anyone, as the memory of his catastrophic marriage was always in the back of his head. Olivia had noticed how he'd always had barely been able to tear his eyes away from Rita whenever they came across her, standing a bit taller when she entered a room.

On first sight, she probably never would have thought he would fall for someone like Rita – smart, successful, independent, quick-witted and always a bit distant – but then, Rafael didn't exactly fit in with the men she'd dated before in her life either. Maybe that was the reason why it worked so well between them.

"Oh, it was our pleasure," Rafael replied with a grin, then his expression became mockingly serious. "Hey, just so you know, if you treat her badly, I will..."

"Same goes for you," Fin shot back with a glare and Rita and Olivia exchanged a glance. "But we already had that conversation, Barba."

"Good thing we made that clear." Rafael smirked and Fin nodded while Olivia rolled her eyes – as if Rita and her wouldn't be able to take care of it themselves if their partner hurt them.

OoO

"Aren't they adorable together?" Olivia sighed when Rafael and she walked home about two hours later. The evening had gotten a lot better after the initial difficulties, and they'd had enjoyed themselves, talking about funny stories from college or their earlier years on SVU.

"They've fallen so hard for each other," Rafael replied with a smirk, slipping his hand into hers.

"We're amazing."

"Say it louder, mi amor."

OoO

"That went better than I thought it would," Rita commented as Fin and her stepped out on the street together, waiting for the Uber Rita had called for herself. Fin wrapped his arms around her waist with a soft smile and nodded in agreement.

"They were really holding back their excitement so they wouldn't scare us away," he said with a chuckle and she slung her arms around his neck, smiling back at him.

"I'm glad they gave us this little push."

"Me too, baby," Fin whispered and kissed her softly, forgetting about everything around them for a moment.


	81. Mornings

A little drabble to cheer up barsonaddict, my little whiny squidward ;) :P

I hope you enjoy it!

Set between 'Know It All' and 'The Newsroom' ;)

* * *

 **Mornings**

Rafael turned over with a content smile on his lips, eyes still closed against the morning light filtering into the bedroom. Even while dozing his arms found the warm body easily while he shifted closer and wrapped his arms around said body, pulling it against him. A nose was buried in his chest almost immediately, and his fingertips teased bare skin where the Harvard t-shirt that he knew to be his had ridden up.

He dropped a kiss on the soft brown hair and inhaled the flowery scent that clung to her. He couldn't remember a time he felt so happy, so relaxed, and it was all because of her.

"I don't wanna go to work," Olivia mumbled, her warm breath hitting his skin, and Rafael chuckled lightly.

"You should be glad you can go to work." Rafael was joking, he really was; he'd come to terms with his suspension by now, and well, some special circumstances were causing him to enjoy these weeks. The special circumstances, or rather, Olivia, were slinging her arms around him, shaking her head.

"I'd rather stay home with Noah and you. Or just with you, while Noah is at preschool."

The suggestive tone in her voice and the hand gliding down to his ass left no questions open about what she would do with him while her son was at preschool. A shiver ran down his spine and he forced himself to concentrate – Noah could wake any moment, and Liv also had to get up to get ready for work soon, there just wasn't enough time to get carried away.

"Liv, Noah will wake up soon." He threw a glance at the alarm clock and groaned lowly when her hand slid into his boxershorts. "We really can't do this now..."

Olivia chuckled and let her lips glide over his collarbone, whispering: "But it doesn't feel like you're opposed to some shenanigans, Counselor."

"Mama? Raf? I'm hungry!"

Rafael was so glad to hear Noah's voice that he released a sigh of relief, and Olivia hurried to pull her hand out of his boxers; moments later, the little boy entered the bedroom hesitantly. "You're already up, baby?" she asked, trying to mask her disappointment, and Rafael smirked.

"Come on, amigo, I'll make you pancakes while your Mama takes a cold shower, how does that sound?"

Noah smiled at him and nodded enthusiastically before running off to the kitchen. Before he followed him, Rafael leaned over Olivia, pressing hot kisses to her jaw before whispering into her ear: "Tonight, mi amor. I promise."

A soft whimper left her as his fingertips brushed over the skin of her stomach sensually, and he chuckled about the frustrated sigh she released when he left the room. He could play this game just as good as she could.


	82. You Can't Hide Anything

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr

Prompt: _**photograph**_

I hope you all like it, and thank you so much for all those reviews, follows and favourites! :)

* * *

 **You Can't Hide Anything**

… (from Lucia Barba)

It wasn't easy to make Rafael Barba panic, as he always tried to keep a calm head and think logical to stay in charge. Thus it required a master, someone who knew his kryptonite, to achieve that one simple sentence in a text message caused him to run the last few blocks to his apartment in a manner that would have given Usain Bolt a run for his money.

 _'You're not here yet, so I'll let myself in!'_

OoO

The door to his apartment was already unlocked when he reached it, panting harshly, and he knew that his effort had been in vain. When he entered his living room he was met with Lucia Barba's patented 'I can't believe you were keeping this a secret from me, it hurts my heart that you're not trusting me, your own mother!' stare; she was holding a framed photograph in her hands. He'd been meaning to hide it before she came to his place for dinner.

"Mamí, I told you... ugh... Why do you always have to invade my privacy?" Rafael asked sharply – and a bit whiny – while approaching her, taking the photograph of Olivia, Noah and him out of her hands.

Lucia just continued to glare at him, and Rafael knew that it was the quiet before the storm. He had to give her a good explanation, otherwise he would be at the receiving end of one of her guilt-tripping rants.

"I haven't told you yet because it's still so new and Olivia and I want to take it slow."

His mother's expression softened a bit, even though she still tried to look hurt. Then she suddenly said something that caused him to roll his eyes and moan in annoyance.

"When is the wedding?"

* * *

A/N: … I'm sorry for that bad joke. Can't even blame it on alcohol. Damn.


	83. Nobody Can Resist

I saw a prompt on Pinterest that asked who would be the half of my OTP to give their kid cookies even though the other one said no. The answer was pretty clear to me :) Also I just needed Jesse/Noah preciousness.

I hope you like it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

(Also, the site seemed to be having a glitch, so it didn't show that I posted Chapter 82 and Chapter 5 of the Rita/Fin collection - annoying :/ Also it only bumped to the top after I deleted the new chapter, so I'm sorry for that repeated bumping - I tried to see if the glitch was gone/the email notifications were working again)

* * *

 **Nobody Can Resist...  
**

"Mama, can Jesse and I have cookies?" Noah asked sweetly as Olivia slipped into her coat and grabbed her purse, getting ready to leave for work – another weekend cut short for her and her squad. Jesse was standing next to Noah, holding his hand while sucking on her thumb with an innocent expression, and for a moment she was convinced that they'd planned this scene, as she felt tempted to say yes. They looked so convincing that she nearly forgot that they'd already had cookies shortly after lunch.

"You had enough for today, baby. Maybe Papí can cut you an apple. Love you, I'll be back for dinner. You two have fun playing. Bye, Jesse."

Olivia knelt down to kiss her son and Jesse pulled her thumb out of her mouth to wave at her before she left the apartment. Noah frowned, slightly disappointed, then he turned to look at Rafael, who was sitting at the dining table with his paperwork.

"Noah... ask Papí," Jesse lisped into his ear quietly, and he nodded. He thought that they deserved the cookies – after all, he'd made sure that they had Jesse's favourites, and it didn't make any sense not to eat them with her now.

"Papí... can we have cookies?"

Rafael raised his eyebrow at his son as he looked up from his paperwork. Of course he'd heard Liv earlier, did Noah really think he would take the risk to go against... He cursed inwardly as Jesse put on her best puppy dog eyes and Noah pulled her into a hug, saying: "They're Jess's favourites, Papí! And we didn't have any cookies on our last playdate because Uncle Sonny had so much spaghetti!"

"Please, Papí," Jesse added for good measure, her head leant against Noah's chest, and Rafael could barely concentrate. They were just too adorable, especially when combined...

"Your Mama said no, Noah."

It was a weak attempt and he knew it himself. Sighing dramatically, he grabbed his coffee mug and walked over to the kitchen, knowing that the two kids were following him. "I'm pouring myself some coffee and feel like I want to have a cookie to the coffee. Maybe I'm so concentrated on my work that I forget to put them away."

He smirked when Jesse giggled and Noah smiled at his best friend; Rafael poured himself his coffee and winked at the kids before leaving the kitchen, the cookies within comfortable reach of Noah's arm.

Olivia surely wouldn't be happy if she found out – and she would, because the cookies would probably be gone in the evening – but he thought that it was worth it. Their eyes were gleaming as they sneaked out of the kitchen and settled in Noah's play corner with the cookies, babbling happily while they shared their treats.


	84. The Glasses

Raúl and his glasses. Do I need to say more?

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **The Glasses**

Rafael was a proud man who hated to admit weaknesses, even if they were natural ones that just happened to people as they got older. At first, Olivia had found it cute how he squinted at his papers sometimes, having trouble to see the words clearly. Still he would claim that his eyes were perfectly fine, glaring at her when she told him that he needed glasses, and she would drop the topic for some time, not wanting to fight with him about something as small as glasses.

Sometimes he would rant that she sounded like his mother, which usually caused her to roll her eyes at him; she tried to tell him that glasses weren't a sign of weakness, and he probably only needed reading glasses anyway, and that there were also contact lenses...

But Rafael Barba remained stubborn, unsurprisingly, and so the squinting continued.

OoO

Weeks passed and Olivia ultimately had given up, knowing that nothing could change his mind. Thus it was quite a big shock when he strode into the squad room one day, wearing a pair of round glasses to his smirk – she nearly dropped her coffee mug. He looked so adorably nerdy and dorky, especially with his suspenders peeking out of his suit jacket...

"From the way you're staring at me I deduce that you like the new glasses, Liv," he whispered into her ear in a low, sexy tone, and while she tried to keep the dirty thoughts at bay she felt her knees turn into jello. This man... she just wanted to grab him by his suspenders and kiss that smirk off his handsome face...

"Lieu, we got everything prepared!" Carisi ripped her out of her thoughts and she fought against the blush that threatened to spread on her cheeks as she walked over to the conference table, knowing that Rafael was very much aware of her reaction to him. And a voice in the back of her head questioned why she was trying to suppress the feelings she had for him – clearly that was the path to insanity.


	85. Details

It's going to be angsty!

I hope you like it anyway! ;)

* * *

 **Details**

Rafael couldn't remember the last time he'd felt such intense fear rushing through his veins; not even the death threats he'd received had woken such a deep panic inside of him.

He didn't even register how much money he handed his cab driver before he jumped out of the car and sprinted over the street, ignoring the honking cars. The nurse sitting at the information desk in the emergency room looked at him with wide eyes as he skidded to a halt in front of her, panting harshly. "Noah Porter Benson. I was called, he had an accident at preschool, where is he?!"

The nurse typed the name into her computer and then calmly asked him: "May I have your name, Sir?"

"Rafael Barba. Please, where is he? I need to see him!"

"I'm sorry, Sir. You're only listed as an emergency contact, not as his legal guardian. I can't give you any information or let you see him until his mother is here," the young woman replied with an apologetic expression and Rafael's mouth opened and closed a few times in shock. She couldn't be serious... Olivia obviously wasn't there yet and they decided to leave a little boy alone in a hospital, a scary place?

His gaze wandered over to the area with the treatment rooms and his heart clenched as he suddenly saw one door open and a gurney was rolled out; Noah was sitting on it, his face covered in blood, and he was crying so loudly that he turned heads. Rafael instinctively took a step forwards, calling his name, and Noah spotted him, screaming for his Papí with pain ringing in his voice, but the nurse immediately came around her desk and held Rafael back.

"I'm sorry, Sir, you can't go to him as long as Miss Benson isn't here!"

Rafael's head was spinning and tears started to fill his eyes as he heard Noah's pleading cries as they rolled him away; he just wanted to comfort him, hold his little boy and tell him that everything would be alright. Being held back was painful, they were forcing him to let Noah down, and he wasn't ashamed of the tears that rolled down his cheeks as he looked at the nurse and slowly backed off. Ultimately he allowed her to maneuver him into a chair close to the information desk and he buried his face in his hands, feeling so horribly helpless.

He didn't know how much time had passed until he heard Olivia's voice and looked up to see her face; she was squatting in front of him, worry on her face. "Rafael, what happened? Where is Noah, how is he?"

Rafael had to clear his throat to be able to speak, and his voice was still shaking. "They wouldn't let me see him because I'm no legal guardian."

She immediately pulled him into her arms and he exhaled before getting up, wiping the back of his hand over his face while Olivia turned to the nurse and told her that she was Noah's legal guardian. They were immediately led down the corridor and the nurse informed them that Noah had hit his head and had sustained a bleeding a wound that needed stitches, but luckily no concussion. When they entered the treatment room, a doctor was with Noah, cleaning the wound and preparing everything for the stitches; Noah wasn't screaming anymore, but silent tears were running down his cheeks while he clutched a teddy bear in doctor's clothing.

"Look, Noah, your parents are here," the young doctor said with a soft smile before greeting Olivia and Rafael. "You're being so brave."

Noah's face lit up and Rafael immediately moved forwards, carefully hugging his boy; he felt like he never wanted to let go of him again. "Mijo, I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry, I love you," he whispered, trying to keep the tears at bay as Noah clung to him.

"Love you too, Papí."

Olivia and Rafael held Noah's hands while the doctor made the stitches, and Rafael was proud how calm Noah stayed, the shock about his little accident obviously dying down. At some point he even started to babble about the Hamptons weekend they were planning, and that they wanted to take Jesse. "She's my best friend. And we'll build sandcastles and bathe in the ocean," he told the doctor, excitement in his voice, and Rafael could feel himself finally relaxing a bit as he watched Noah.

However, he still couldn't keep himself from holding Noah's hand on their whole way home, sometimes exchanging a glance with Olivia. Until this day, they hadn't thought an official adoption to be a priority in their life; Rafael loved Noah and Noah loved him, calling him Papí, but this incident had reminded them painfully that this formality wasn't as unimportant as they'd thought it to be.

And as the little family sat on the couch, cuddled together after eating Noah's favourite pasta, Olivia and Rafael silently agreed that they would get the papers for the adoption as soon as possible.


	86. Big News

This is a continuation of the drabble 'Details'^^

I hope you all enjoy this, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **Big News**

Carisi had the distinct feeling that the Lieu wasn't really listening to him as he informed the squad about the evidence he'd found in their suspect's personnel file. She kept checking her phone for the time, shifted on her chair from time to time and generally seemed absent and slightly nervous. At least Fin and Amanda were listening to him, and so he continued to talk until Benson suddenly jumped to her feet and grabbed her phone.

"I'm going for lunch with Barba now, see you later. Fin, you inform me later?"

Fin nodded, a slightly surprised expression on his face while their boss hurried to get her purse from her office and then left the precinct, a small excited smile on her face, which was quite the contrast to her previous behaviour.

She stayed away for two hours that day, and when she came back she was strangely chipper, her mood not dropping at all even though she had a mountain of paperwork on her desk. It left everyone wondering what Barba and her had been up to... but then they really didn't want to know any details.

OoO

It was a few weeks later when Olivia and Rafael invited all their friends and Lucia for dinner; nobody suspected anything while they ate, thinking that they just wanted to have a nice evening with everyone and introduce Lucia to everybody, as she didn't know anybody in the round except Rita that well. They had a lot of fun, joking around between stories of the trouble Rita and Rafael had gotten themselves into at college together, of the more amusing things they'd experienced with the NYPD, and Noah also told them about how Jesse and he had found the perfect hiding place for hide and seek.

After dessert, the waiter suddenly brought champagne for everyone – and orange juice for Jesse and Noah – and Olivia cleared her throat after exchanging a smile with Rafael.

"There's a reason why we asked you all to come here. Rafael and I have some big news to announce."

Everyone waited in anticipation, and Lucia actually squeaked into the silence, looking like even a few seconds were too long for her.

"Olivia and I got married a few weeks ago and this morning it was made official that I adopted Noah."

"Papí is now really my Papí!" Noah added happily and immediately the little family received gratulations from their friends, and everyone was smiling about the pleasant surprise.

Only Lucia was dangerously silent, a dark expression on her face, and she looked like she wanted to leap over the table to grab Olivia and Rafael and strangle them. She really seemed to be boiling inwardly, and Rita actually started to reach for Lucia's arm, just in case – she knew better than most of the others that Lucia could have the most eccentric reactions.

Olivia and Rafael had hoped that Lucia would be so happy by the news that she wouldn't be so picky about the fact that they'd kept their wedding – well, signing of papers, exchanging a rings and having a _very_ private celebration – a secret from everybody. But obviously that had been a false hope, and they didn't expect Lucia to understand their reasons. To them, it didn't matter if they had rings on their fingers or not, they knew that they belonged together; their only reason to marry had been that the adoption process had been easier thanks to that detail.

Finally, Lucia opened her mouth, her voice shaking with exasperation. "So you didn't think your own mother would have liked to hear about this, Rafael? _Before_ you inform everybody else?! I gave birth to you, I raised you and now you're taking the only thing I've been looking forward to, my son's wedding?! How could you do this to me?"

Rafael rolled his eyes about Lucia's very dramatic words and gestures, and before Rita could grab Lucia's arm, she'd already thrown her napkin at him. "Don't you dare to be so sassy, Rafael Felipe Barba! You never take me serious!"

"Mamí, stop it! Liv and I didn't want to make a big deal out of it, and marriage isn't as important to us as it is to you! And this isn't about you. We did this for Noah."

Lucia crossed her arms in front of her chest and her expression softened a little bit, giving Rafael the hope that after some time, she would arrange herself with the situation.

"How about you have a little wedding celebration with a real ceremony for everybody to see?"

Everybody at the table groaned loudly while Lucia smiled into the round, loving her idea so much that she was oblivious to everyone's annoyance.


	87. The Ring

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr!

 **Prompt:** ring

I hope you all like it, I'm looking forward to your opinions! :)

* * *

 **The Ring**

Rafael had always been able to tell when his mother was trying to hold herself back from doing or saying something, and lately he'd noticed her tension a lot more often than usual. Since Olivia and he had started dating, he knew that Lucia was trying not to talk about marriage and maybe more grandchildren for her too often, as she knew that he would only react with annoyance. He had to admit that he was thankful for that, and he tried to pay her back with more Sunday lunches with Liv and Noah. This was a lot better than always hearing her complaints about why he wasn't married yet, and that nearly all his cousins already had families.

But of course these ideas were still simmering inside her, and he knew that it would spill over one day.

When it did, though, he was more than surprised by her subtleness; it was the day before Olivia, Noah and he would drive to the Hamptons for their first vacation together, and Lucia had insisted to meet him for lunch.

An affectionate smile was on her lips as she placed a small velvet box in the middle of the table, and she just patted his hand lovingly when he opened it and felt tears rise into his eyes. His abuela's engagement ring was in the box, shiny and beautiful, and Rafael didn't know what to say.

"For when you think the time is right," Lucia said softly, and Rafael took her hand, squeezing it gently; it moved him that Lucia truly thought that Olivia was the right one for him and that she wanted her to have Catalina's ring, believing their love to be as strong as the of his grandparents.


	88. No Backing Out This Time

The picture of Rafi surpporting himself on Liv's chair and them looking into each other's eyes while he leans in kinda fueled my fantasies. And Liv's.

I hope you all enjoy it!

* * *

 **No Backing Out This Time**

Olivia took a deep breath and tried to keep her mind from starting to spin when she inhaled Rafael's cologne in the process – hell, this man smelled so good. And right now he was standing so close to her that she couldn't escape it; his right hand was on the back of her chair, his left rested on the table, and he was leaning in on her while they looked at the laptop. She could feel his body heat close to herself, and when she looked up at him her mind was actually blank for a moment – their eyes met, and she could see desire in the green depths that he was barely able to conceal. His face was so close to hers, it would be easy to grab him by the tie and pull him down to kiss him...

In this moment there seriously wasn't anything else she'd rather do.

Olivia wanted to feel his lips on hers, wanted to experience how it would feel to be kissed by him, how he would touch her...

"Olivia?" Rafael whispered, his voice hoarse, ripping her from the fantasy that had started to form in her mind, and she blinked before his eyes came back into focus. Was she imagining it or was his face even closer now?

"I...," she started, but she really had no idea what to say; her gaze was jumping between his tempting lips and his eyes and her heart skipped a beat when she realised that he was doing the same. His tongue darted out to wet his lips nervously and tension was hanging in the air thickly; Olivia thought that she could actually grasp it with her fingers.

After some time Rafael slowly moved backwards, as if he didn't have the courage to take the last tiny step, and Olivia's arm shot up, her hand curling around his gray tie. His eyes widened in surprise, but only a second later he started to smirk mischievously, matching her own expression as she whispered: "Oh, don't you dare to back out again!"

It had been a long journey to this point, and there'd been a lot of moments in which they'd backed out, afraid of what would happen if they acted on the feelings drawing them towards each other again and again, even after all they'd been through. To them it had felt like the Mount Everest – a long, hard way up, full of dangers and possible catastrophes...

However, as Rafael closed the distance between them and kissed her, it seemed like the easiest thing in the world, and in the split second before her mind stopped working Olivia asked herself what they'd been afraid of. The kiss felt absolutely amazing, sending pleasant shivers down her spine, and when Rafael pulled her to her feet, never breaking the contact, she could feel how all the feelings she'd suppressed were starting to break out of her.

As the kiss deepened, their lips clashing hungrily as if they tried to make up for all the time wasted, Rafael backed her against the edge of the conference table, their bodies pressed tightly together. She slung her arm around his neck, the hand of the other still holding on to his tie playfully, and Rafael's hands wandered from her waist to her hips and lower back. Neither of them cared about where they were, or that someone could walk in on them any time – the only thing important to them was to stay as close to each other as possible, their lips and hands doing the exploring they'd been wanting to do for years.


	89. Make It Special

A fix up for the season finale. Goddammit, SVU writers, just let them date already.

I hope you all like it, and let's look forward to season 19, which will hopefully bring some more awesome Barson moments!

* * *

 **Make It Special**

Rafael's stomach sank as Olivia declined his offer for drinks, and he worked hard to keep a disappointed expression off his face. They'd been through some tough times – again – and he somehow felt the need to sit with her, to make sure that their friendship hadn't received any damage over it... Because there'd been one or two times where they'd nearly broken apart because of tough times and fundamental disagreements.

He just wanted to have her sit by his side, exchanging snarky comments while they sipped on their drinks and talked about everything – Noah, Rafael's mother Lucia, weekend plans, movies, travelling. Sometimes their work even came up, and they talked about any disagreements calmly, explaining their points of view to each other, and it always reassured him that they were okay. And sometimes during these hours that never failed to brighten his day and make him sleep calmer, he even tried to find the courage to tell her what he really felt for her when they sat together.

She'd declined before, of course, and he understood and respected that she wanted to be with Noah; he would never want to keep her from being with her little boy.

But tonight, her negative answer was making him anxious. Were they still okay?

He couldn't keep himself from asking her that, if she was upset with him, because he needed to know. The professional part of him would say that he didn't care, he had his opinions... but the private Rafael Barba just didn't like the thought that they would have problems again. Olivia reassured him that she wasn't mad with him, smiling at him softly, and it soothed him greatly.

Maybe his timing was just bad, he mused inwardly as they talked; he seemed to have the habit to ask her with the intention of trying to confess to her when she just wanted to have a quiet evening with Noah. But somehow he always got super nervous when he knew that he wanted to try something that evening, and maybe she was able to sense that, wanting to prevent the confession because she didn't want their friendship to become awkward because of it.

When he walked out of the precinct a little bit later, thinking about texting Rita if she was up to drinks and listen to him whining about his feelings, he was surprised when he heard quick footsteps behind him. Rafael looked over his shoulder and his heart jumped as he saw Olivia coming towards him.

"Barba, listen! About the drinks..."

He could feel his hope starting to grow again as he looked at her and realised that she was pausing to gather the courage to tell him something.

"I want to spend time with you, I really do, but you know that Noah is my priority. Also... also the thing you want to tell me... not like this, Rafael."

She held his gaze, nervosity shining in her brown eyes while he gulped hard, slightly flabbergasted that she _really_ knew what was going on in his head. Rafael cleared his throat, his mind spinning as he tried to think of a good answer, and his voice lacked his usual confidence as he said: "Liv... I never meant to make you uncomfort..."

"Rafael," she hurried to interrupt him, gently touching his forearm, and the soft smile on her lips kept him from freaking out – this woman really was excellent at challenging his control over his emotions. "What I meant is... I want it to be special when you tell me. And Noah and I, we're..."

"A package deal, I know that, Liv. I guess I was just... scared that you're not as willing to take this step as I am. I mean... you got Noah to think of, I'm not the most confident with children and our friendship... it's too important to both of us to lose it."

After a moment of hesitation he moved his arm until his hand slipped around hers, and her smile widened, infecting him. Warmth was spreading in his stomach and Olivia asked: "How about we have that drink at my place, after Noah is in bed? Lucy is cooking vegetable lasagne tonight. And afterwards you can properly ask me out on a date."

"Sounds perfect. I'll try to think of an original way to ask you out, so you'll really say yes," Rafael replies with a wink, relief washing over him at how this turned out, and he got them a cab, neither of them intending to let go of each other's hand.


	90. She Wears It Well

A Tumblr request by anonymous!

Thank you to Ally, a fellow Wigtown Wanderer, who helped me with the title :D

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **She Wears It Well**

Rafael Barba hurried down the steps of One Hogan Place, his fingers straightening the black tie he was wearing, matching his black two piece suit. He was late, and he'd already called the driver he'd booked for the evening so he would pick Olivia up first – at least she wouldn't be late to the Mayor's reception. Barely noting his surroundings, he walked down the street, seeing a fancy black car a few steps ahead, and, out of the corner of his eyes, a pair of long legs. Throwing a glance at his wristwatch, he cursed inwardly, quickening his steps, briefly gazing to the car, then back ahead...

Suddenly, he skidded to a halt and whipped around, staring at the woman leaning against the car with wide eyes and an open mouth. The long legs he'd seen moments ago were coming out of black strappy high heels and disappeared in an emerald green dress, its material clinging to the soft curves of the woman whom the legs belonged to. It showed off just the right amount of cleavage to be sexy but still classy, and Rafael couldn't help but lick his dry lips.

Chestnut curls framed a beautiful face, a smile was on the deep red lips that looked so soft and oh so kissable, and brown eyes sparkled at him as the woman straightened her back and said huskily: "Hey handsome. Can I give you a lift?"

Rafael gulped hard, feeling his heart skipping a beat, then he found his confidence back and started smirking. "My girlfriend doesn't like to see me speaking to other women."

The beauty moved closer, looking smug as her fingers ran over his tie, toying with the piece of clothing. Her sweet perfume was messing with his mind as he inhaled it, and a wink made the corners of her eyes crinkle as she asked: "And what is she gonna do about it when I keep talking to you?"

"Well, she carries a weapon on a daily basis. If I were you, I'd be careful."

A soft yet sexy chuckle left her and it made a pleasant shiver ran down Rafael's spine. "Seems like she's getting jealous easily, and is slightly territorial about you, handsome."

"I don't know, mi amor, you tell me. Did you seriously feel threatened by that intern and now want to show me what a sexy girlfriend I have or are you always dressing up like this for functions?" Rafael smirked at Olivia, who rolled her eyes slightly while he looped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him.

No woman in the world, no matter how beautiful or charming, would ever be able to get him away from his Olivia, and he thought that he never failed to show her just that, but of course he'd also noticed the way the latest intern at the DA's office had flirted with him, causing insecurity to simmer inside Olivia. Ashley Brennan had accompanied Rafael to court several times to get an insight into the work of the Sex Crimes Bureau, and she'd been trying to get his attention all the time, dressing in revealing clothes and interrupting conversations with Olivia by acting like she had pressing questions of professional nature. Rafael had been able to see the flash of anger in his love's eyes whenever Ashley showed up somewhere or called him late in the evening.

Olivia sounded almost sheepish as she replied: "Maybe, a little bit. I mean... we are in our routine at home and lately I've just been tired from work and I thought..."

She tried to avoid his gaze and Rafael hurries to gently cup her cheeks, forcing her to look at him. "Olivia Benson, I love you. You and Noah, you're all I want, and I don't care if that woman has a crush on me or not. Hell, she's young enough to be my daughter! And holding you in my arms while you fall asleep is what makes me happy, just like waking up next to you every morning. Our routine, it doesn't matter, and it's not like we do the same things all week long. I'm with you, and that's all I need."

Her cheeks had started to turn adorably pink during his speech, as if she now realised that most of her jealousy had been unnecessary, and she tried to act casual while she said: "Well, I wasn't exactly jealous and I also didn't really feel threatened... I just..."

Rafael chuckled softly, and gently kissed her, pouring all the love he felt for her into the kiss.

"You wear jealousy well, though, mi amor," he breathed between kisses and she slapped his shoulder lightly, but he could feel her smirking against his lips, reassuring him that tension was leaving her.

He didn't care if they would be late – the Mayor could wait, making sure that Olivia knew that there was no reason for her to be jealous was his priority right now.


	91. The Persuasion Game

A Tumblr request from anonymous.

It was kinda inspired by the GIFs of Raúl on the AIDS walk in New York and somebody saying 'he dances like a dad'.

I hope you all enjoy this, and thank you so much for the over 500 reviews – wtf *_* You are amazing!

* * *

 **The Persuasion Game**

"Have a nice weekend you two!" Rafael called with a smile as he waved Noah and Lucia goodbye, then he closed the door to the Benson-Barba apartment with a sigh of relief. Their first completely child-free weekend in months – Olivia and him had been looking forward to this Friday for ages.

"Okay, mi amor, what are we going to do now that we got the whole apartment to ourselves?"

He returned to the living room, frowning slightly as he saw his love lying on the couch, opening the novel that she'd started weeks ago but hadn't had the time to really read. "Liv? Noah is gone for two whole days and you want to read?"

"Yes," she replied firmly, shifting into a more comfortable position. "It's quiet, Fin is on call and not me for today, and I've been meaning to read this book for quite some time. You know, relaxing."

Rafael wasn't pleased with her answer at all, and he gave her a pleading glance. "Liv, there are so many other things we could do! Have sex on the couch, or in the kitchen! We could cook broccoli! Or dance naked. Or dance naked and then have sex and eat broccoli afterwards! Or..."

"Rafael, would you please shut up? I'm trying to concentrate!"

Olivia looked up from the book to glare at him, and frowned when she realised that he was pouting and about to unpack the puppy dog eyes he'd learned to copy from Noah.

"Well, you want to read. I want to dance now!" he said stubbornly and walked over to the hi-fi unit his IPod was connected to. He switched it on and Olivia asked herself when he'd started to act less mature than Noah; a moment later he started to turn the volume up, bouncing his head in the rhythm.

"Come on, mi amor, can you feel it?"

He turned back towards her, a cheeky grin on his face while he started dancing, maybe a bit awkwardly. Olivia rolled her eyes, tried to turn her attention back to the book, but found herself unable to; ultimately she couldn't help but chuckle about the way he held his arms up and moved his hips from one side to the other.

"You dance like a dad, Barba!"

"What?!" Rafael exclaimed, his eyes widening as he gazed over to her, laughing. "What's that supposed to mean, Liv? Look at me, I got rhythm! And in case you forgot, I _am_ a dad!"

"You're such a dork," she mumbled to herself, the corners of her mouth twitching into a lopsided grin when Rafael motioned for her to come over.

"Liv, don't be a party pooper!"

"I don't want to jump around like I had too many drinks! I'm not a teenager anymore."

Rafael stopped dancing, rolling his eyes while raising his hands in defeat. "Okay, okay, let's try something more mature, then."

He turned to the hi-fi unit and switched to a different playlist; tango music started playing, and Rafael turned around, his eyes full of fire as he looked at her. "Mi amor."

At the husky tone in his voice she licked her lips, and a shiver ran down her spine when he said something in Spanish to her, sounding incredibly sexy. He approached her slowly, took the book from her hands, and pulled her to her feet and into his arms. The atmosphere obviously had shifted, and the grin slowly faded from her face as Rafael wrapped his arms around her waist, guiding her into a rhythm matching the music. Their bodies were pressed close, and Olivia slung her arms around his neck, smirking when he whispered: "Mature enough?"

"Certainly," she breathed into his ear, and when one of his hands toyed with the hem of her shirt she nibbled on his earlobe. "You were very persuasive, Counselor. I'm more open to suggestions now."


	92. Child-free Weekends

Entry for thebarsondaily's weekly drabble prompt.

 **Prompt:** energy

I hope you all like it!

* * *

 **Child-free Weekends**

Olivia cuddled into Rafael's side with a satisfied smile, enjoying the feeling of bare skin touching. She'd lost track of how many times they'd done it today; Noah was on a weekend trip with Lucia and thus they had a lot of time on their hands. And what would be better than to spend said time having sex wherever they wanted inside their apartment?

"Okay, the kitchen sex was rather complicated," Rafael mumbled, pressing a kiss to Liv's disheveled hair.

"Yeah, on the couch was a lot better." A light-hearted chuckle left her and she brushed her lips over his collarbone. "I don't think I have the energy for another round right now."

Rafael hummed affirmatively and pulled her closer against him, closing his eyes. "Let's take a nap. Then we'll try the dining table."

"I love child-free weekends," she whispered before drifting off into a slumber, a smile on her lips.


	93. I Love You, Actually

This is what happens when you listen to the Love Actually soundtrack for an unhealthy amount of times and give in to the picture it creates in your head XD Feel free to listen to it while reading, it explains this cheesy... whatever this is XD.

A big thank you to barsonaddict, who helped me to come up with the story surrounding that original picture – I swear, sometimes it feels like we're twins separated at birth XD

I hope you all like it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **I Love You, Actually**

Olivia stared at her wine glass absently, not really taking in her surroundings, or what Ed was talking about – not that he would have noticed that she wasn't paying attention. It was their one year anniversary, and he'd taken her to a fancy restaurant to celebrate, expensive wine and French food. But her mind actually was far away; it seemed like it was stuck at another place – her office. It wasn't about work, though; something else had happened today that had thrown her a little off track, causing her consciousness to concentrate on anything but Tucker and their little celebration.

To her, it had been unexpected, but still something a part of her had been hoping for to happen for a long time.

" _Hey Liv, can I talk to you for a moment?" Rafael asked as he entered Olivia's office, causing her to look up from her laptop. He appeared calm, but she could detect a trace of nervosity wafting around him, despite his obvious attempts to conceal it. If Rafael was nervous, it definitely had to be important._

" _Yeah, sure," she replied, taking off her glasses, and Rafael closed the door behind himself, then he dropped his briefcase onto her visitor chair. "Is it about the case?"_

" _Uhm... no." She briefly wondered why he seemed so restless – she'd never seen Rafael behave like this. Normally, he was all confident and not afraid to speak his mind in front of her, and now he appeared to be clinging to a text he'd prepared beforehand. "It's private, actually. Liv... I know you probably don't want to hear this, and I'm sorry for bothering you, but... but I need to say this now because I need to. If I don't do it, I'll never be able to make a cut and try to get over it."_

 _She felt a bit of worry rise inside of her at his words – had something happened? What was going on?_

" _Liv... I love you. I've loved you for almost three years now, and I thought it would go away, but it didn't... I don't want to live with the false hope that you feel the same way anymore."_

 _Olivia felt like she'd walked face first into a brick wall. For a long moment, she felt nothing, too surprised by his sudden confession, but then everything seemed to rush in at her at once. Shock, confusion, fear, anger, hope, a little bit of joy..._

 _But it was just too much to sort through in this moment, she couldn't catch a clear thought... and so she just stood there, staring at him with wide eyes, her mouth opening and closing. His expression fell, his shoulders slumped, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. "I... I'm sorry for shocking you like this... I better... I better leave you alone with this for a bit."_

 _He nearly dropped his briefcase as he hurried to grab it from the chair and he moved towards the door, stopping when his hand was already on the doorknob. "Liv... if... if there's any hope... I'll be at Times Square until ten pm. And if you're not there... I hope he makes you happy. That's all I want for you and Noah."_

Olivia couldn't stop thinking of that moment he'd confessed his feelings for her. His green eyes had been so open, vulnerable, while he was being completely honest with her. And she couldn't deny that once the shock had faded, she'd felt warm on the inside. Rafael Barba loved her; she'd never dared to truly hope that it was true. She'd buried her feelings for him deep inside of herself, trying to move on while telling herself that Tucker was the right one to grow old with.

Except... he wasn't.

Not for her.

This realisation had been in her head and heart for quite some time, and Rafael's confession had just given it the final push to appear in her thoughts like a big exclamation mark. She'd wasted so much time by ignoring her feelings... but now she knew that there was still hope.

She was ripped from her thoughts when Tucker suddenly took her hand, and with horror she realised that he'd went down on one knee in front of her, holding a ring box in his hand. Her heart stopped beating for a second and her eyes widened as shock coursed through her for the second time today, but this time she felt the need to jump from her chair and run as fast and far as she could. What the hell was she doing here?

The man she'd been having feelings for for so long had finally confessed his love for her and she was sitting here in a restaurant with a man she didn't have such strong feelings for?

And before Tucker could even open his mouth to ask the question, she actually got up, nearly knocking her knee into his face. "I'm sorry, I can't, Ed. You're not the one."

Within a matter of seconds, the chaos inside of her seemed to disappear, and she knew exactly what she wanted to do now – and getting engaged to Tucker was the polar opposite of that. Without turning back she rushed out of the restaurant and onto the street, her legs carrying her forward faster than she would ever have thought to be possible in high heels. Olivia knew her destination, and she didn't even notice the biting November cold against her skin – she'd stormed past the coat check, only one thought on her mind: get to Rafael before he's gone.

Times Square wasn't too far from the restaurant, but she had no idea what time it was and she didn't dare to stop and check her watch; instead she just held her long dress out of the way and ran as fast as she could, ignoring the stares from people she came past. She had to get there before it was too late.

Her lungs were burning from the cold air being sucked into them as she finally reached her destination; Times Square was crowded, mostly with tourists who were looking at the big bright ads in awe, and she scanned the crowd for a familiar face while pushing her way through. Panic was starting to rise inside her as she caught a brief glimpse on a phone display while walking by – it was a few minutes after ten. What if she was too late, what if Rafael had already left?

Just as she was about to stop and accept that she'd missed him, she spotted a familiar figure in the crowd, turning away while slowly walking off, shoulders slumped in defeat. Without having time to catch her breath she gathered the skirt of her dress up a bit, cursing inwardly, and stormed forward, her voice shaky as she yelled against the noise: "Rafael!"

He hesitated, then he stopped and turned around slowly, his green eyes wide as he spotted her, and a smile spread on her face, mirroring his. For a moment he just stood there, taking her in, then he moved towards her as fast as he could without bumping into people, and Olivia fell into his arms as they met halfway.

"You're here," he whispered into her ear, a trace of disbelief in his voice, and Olivia laughed lightly, slinging her arms around his neck while snow started to fall down at them.

"Yes. Because I love you too, actually. I was just too surprised and then Tucker proposed and I realised that you're the one I want!" She was shivering, and Rafael hurried to take his coat off and wrap it around her, smirking lightly about the obvious sign that she'd rushed to him. Olivia blushed crimson but cuddled into his coat, surrounded by his scent and warmth, then she leant forward and kissed him, glad that she'd made it in time.


	94. A Good Gift

Tumblr post: Give me a pairing and a prompt and I'll write a 4 to 5 sentence drabble

Prompt by anonymous: First kiss

I hope you all like it, I'm looking forward to your opinions :)

* * *

 **A Good Gift**

Olivia wasn't really fond of celebrating her birthday, and as she got older, this feeling only seemed to increase; she was okay with small gestures, like pictures from Noah and Jesse, cake from Carisi and a small gift from all her detectives together, most of the times chosen by Amanda. She simply didn't want any big gestures that made everyone, especially her, uncomfortable, no big presents...

But right now, she just couldn't complain about the birthday gift Rafael Barba was giving her; it was a pleasant surprise, something she'd wished for for quite some time, and maybe this was just the right day.

His lips were soft against hers, his hands losely at her waist, and it was a lot more innocent than she'd always imagined; he tasted like coffee and the chocolate cake he'd just eaten, and she couldn't get enough of it.

"Happy birthday, Liv," he whispered hoarsely when their lips separated for a brief moment, then she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in again, silencing him effectively.


	95. The Right Time

Tumblr post: Give me a pairing and a prompt and I'll write a 4 to 5 sentence drabble

Prompt by anonymous: First 'I love you'

I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

 **The Right Time**

Olivia didn't think she could be any happier in her life than she was in this moment, lying in Rafael's arms, Noah cuddled between them. They were having a lazy Sunday, still wearing their pyjamas while playing games together, and now they'd made themselves comfortable on the couch with a Disney movie.

Noah drifted off at some point, his fingers curled into Rafael's t-shirt, and Olivia lifted her head slightly so she could look Rafael in the eyes. So far she hadn't dared to take the words into her mouth, but now it just felt like the right time to say them; thus she didn't hold herself back and said with a smile: "I love you, Rafael."

"I love you two, too," he whispered back, his fingers tangling in her brown hair as she leaned up, careful not to wake Noah, and kissed him softly.


	96. Fights

Tumblr post: Give me a pairing and a prompt and I'll write a 4 to 5 sentence drabble

Prompt by teyamarra: First Fight

I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

 **Fights**

"I can't believe you let this happen! I trusted you, Rafael!" Olivia yelled at Rafael, glaring at him with fury sparkling in her eyes; Rafael was holding her glare, though he did look a little bit guilty – her words were obviously hitting him.

He straightened his back and took a deep breath before replying: "I already apologised, Liv, and I will repeat it again and again: I am sorry! But at least Noah is fine!"

"FINE?! He's in his room, crying his little eyes out! Because you didn't pay attention!" Liv threw her hands into the air, barely able to keep her anger down; she hated that they were having their first fight about Noah, but she really didn't want to gulp this down.

Rafael crossed his arms in front of his chest defensively, suddenly looking seriously offended, and he growled back: "Do you seriously think I didn't try to find a solution for this situation?! I searched the whole Central Park for that damn stuffed penguin!"


	97. Just Another Step Forward

Tumblr Post: Give me a pairing and a prompt and I'll write you a drabble

Prompt by hashtagmusician: First Time

It didn't turn out as smutty as the prompt would suggest – I didn't feel like that today^^

I hope you enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback!

* * *

 **Just Another Step Forward**

Olivia didn't know why she felt so nervous about tonight's date with Rafael – it wasn't like it was the first time she had a date, and it also wasn't their first date. In fact, if she'd counted correctly, it was their 10th offical date, and she'd lost track of how many times they'd just stolen a few minutes at work to snog like teenagers. Sometimes even like horny teenagers, hands wandering underneath clothes.

So they were obviously far from being at an innocent point in their developing relationship – but still she couldn't get the nervosity to go away.

Rafael had invited her to his place; he would cook dinner, she would stay over... and she was almost a hundred percent sure that they would take the next step tonight. And hell, she definitely wanted to take it if he wanted that too – sometimes it had been hard to stick to their intention to take it slow –so she didn't understand why she felt like that.

While she was getting ready and saying goodnight to Noah, she briefly contemplated taking a shot of whatever alcoholic beverage she could find so she could calm her nerves. Ultimately she decided against that, though, as it could backfire and make her feel even worse.

At least most of her nervosity faded when Rafael opened the door for her with a happy smile, looking incredibly handsome in his casual jeans and button up shirt. Soft music came from the living area and a heavenly smell made her mouth water while he helped her out of her jacket.

The food Rafael had cooked was delicious, they talked easily like they always did, and when they settled on the couch with some wine, she was completely relaxed. There was nothing to worry about – they loved and respected each other, could talk about everything, and they also weren't in a rush.

She felt comfortable with how they were going through the evening, and that was the most important thing; they talked for hours and eventually started kissing until it turned into a makeout session.

And as they made their way to the bedroom, kissing and slowly getting rid of pieces of clothing, Olivia realised that she was excited – for taking a step forward in their relationship and for experiencing another first time with the man she loved and who put all her worries to rest.


	98. Forever

Entry for the Weekly Drabble Prompt of thebarsondaily on Tumblr – Catch-up week.

Prompts: midnight; ring; tickle; zipper

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **Forever**

It was long past midnight when Olivia and Rafael left their wedding party and made their way to their honeymoon suite, holding hands the whole time. Their heads were still spinning from the wonderful day they'd had, and neither of them could stop looking down at their new rings from time to time, barely able to believe that this wasn't a dream.

"So, Mrs Benson-Barba," Rafael murmured lowly when they were finally alone, slinging his arms around his wife's waist and pulling her back against his chest. "What are we going to do now?"

Olivia chuckled softly when his breath tickled the skin of her neck and she leaned into him, closing her eyes. "I'm sure we will be able to think of something."

"Me too, mi amor."

He pressed a few open-mouthed kisses on her neck while pulling back a bit to have the space to let one of his hands glide up her back gently. A soft sigh escaped Olivia as he lowered the zipper of her dress tantalisingly slow, but she didn't protest – they had all the time in the world now.

Forever, to be exact.


	99. Like Father Like Son

Entry for the Weekly Drabble Prompt of thebarsondaily on Tumblr – Catch-up week.

Prompts: urge; anger; first kiss

I hope you all enjoy it! :)

* * *

 **Like Father, Like Son**

"Jess, please don't go," Noah begged, resisting the urge to grab Jesse by the elbow to keep her from leaving his apartment in anger. Her blue eyes narrowed at him, fury the most prominent emotion.

"Well, I don't think I want to stay when my best friend is being so distant. Why can't you just tell me what's going on with you? I thought we could always talk about all our problems!"

He gulped hard, understanding why she felt like he didn't want her to be at his place. But what he really wanted was quite the opposite, he was just way too scared of losing his best friend. Though if he remained silent now he might lose her anyway. Taking a deep breath, Noah ran a hand through his dark hair and quietly said: "Okay. I'll tell you. I've been meaning to tell you a really long time ago, I just didn't have the courage."

Jesse crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking up at him expectantly. Suddenly his mouth was as dry as a desert and his mind seemed to go blank; he wished he could find a hole to disappear in when he blurted out: "I'm in love with you, Jess. I actually have been since I was fourteen."

Her eyes widened in shock and surprise and her mouth opened and closed a few times without a sound actually coming over her lips; Noah half expected her to lash out at him.

Of all the things he'd expected her to do, the one she actually did in the end had been rather low on the list – Jesse grabbed him by the front of his tshirt, one arm looping around his neck to pull him down to her.

A second later her soft lips landed on his in the most desperate first kiss he'd ever had in his life; for one moment he was too stunned to do anything, but then he realised that this was truly happening. His heart was jumping wildly in his chest when he kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her close.

"Oh Lord, finally! Ten bloody years!"

Jesse and Noah almost jumped apart in shock when they suddenly heard the voice of Noah's father through the front door, then they heard a smack and a quiet curse. "He comes after you a little too much for my taste, Rafael! It took him longer to admit his feelings than it took you!"

"Mom?! Dad?!"


	100. A Close Call

Entry for the Weekly Drabble Prompt of thebarsondaily on Tumblr – Catch-up week.

Prompts: hug; accident; close call; choices

I don't know why, but I feel something like Next Gen vibes at the moment XD Please be patient with me!

I hope you like it anyway :)

(Also, wow, this is the 100th drabble... wicked XD)

* * *

 **A Close Call**

It had been the moment Olivia and Rafael had been dreading since Noah decided to follow in his mother's footsteps by joining the NYPD.

They'd just finished lunch and Rafael was busy loading the dishwasher – since being forced to retire earlier that year with almost seventy, he claimed that even the smallest chore were keeping him from losing his mind – so Olivia went to answer the phone when it rang.

He smiled to himself while listening to her cheery voice as she talked, but then she suddenly got quiet; worry slowly but steadily started to rise inside of him and he put the plate down he was holding. A bad feeling was spreading in his stomach and he moved over into the living room.

"Thank you for informing us," Olivia said quietly before ending the call and sinking down on the couch, releasing a breath while running a hand through her hair.

"What happened, mi amor?"

A part of him was scared of what her answer might be, but then he also wanted to know what hit her so hard. Sitting down next to his wife, he slung his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a hug.

"That was Noah's Sergeant. He's been involved in an accident. But he isn't injured, it was just... just a close call and I need a minute... for a moment I thought..."

Rafael took a few shaky breaths to keep himself calm while she buried her face in his chest. They'd always supported Noah in his choices and they were proud of him; however, they still worried subconsciously when they knew he was out on patrol.

All they could do every day was hope that he would end his shifts as unharmed as he'd started them.

So far it had always worked out in the end.


	101. Wrapped Around The Little Finger

Entry for the Weekly Drabble Prompt of thebarsondaily on Tumblr – Catch-up week.

Prompts: umbrella; rain; gentle

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback! :)

* * *

 **Wrapped Around The Little Finger**

"I can't believe he persuaded us to go to the park during this weather," Rafael said, his eyes fixed on Noah; the boy was happily climbing around on the abandoned jungle gym, obviously not caring about the dark clouds hanging low over the Central Park.

Olivia and Rafael were standing a few feet away, half-embracing each other as they tried to share an umbrella so they would both be shielded from the rain. Chuckling softly, Olivia kissed his cheek and said: "I guess he's been learning from you. You're the master of persuasion."

Her words caused Rafael to smirk and he did look a little bit proud of himself and Noah.

"But in my opinion, Noah already is better than you," Olivia added with an innocent tone in her voice. "I mean, he has you wrapped around his little finger. Otherwise we wouldn't be standing here, getting your favourite pair of Brooks Brothers shoes all wet and muddy without you complaining at all."

A frown passed over Rafael's face as he looked down at his shoes – he was still in his work clothes – and then to Noah, who was laughing in glee as he sat on a small platform of the jungle gym and stuck his tongue out, head tilted back.

"It doesn't matter," he replied with a gentle smile, pulling Olivia a little bit closer while the rain lapped down on their umbrella.


	102. Sweater Weather

Entry for the Weekly Drabble Prompt of thebarsondaily on Tumblr – Catch-up week.

Prompts: expectation, Christmas; green; gold; snow

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions :)

(I know, it's July, but... who cares XD)

* * *

 **Sweater Weather**

"When you said 'let's get matching Christmas sweaters, it'll be cute and funny' I honestly didn't have high expectations," Olivia said while thoroughly inspecting the reflection of their little family in the mirror, her head cocked to the side. "It's not as horrible as I imagined it, but I still wouldn't leave the apartment like this."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Rafael replied dryly, smoothing down his own sweater; he had to admit that it had been a quite daring move, but they all had humour and nobody would see them like this. Also, he was quite proud of his choice – the green wool sweaters with a golden, glittery reindeer pattern weren't as chintzy as some of the other offers he'd seen during his research. The green suited them all perfectly.

"Do I have to go to play with Jesse wearing that?" Noah sounded very unenthusiastic as he looked up at his parents, frowning. "It's itching, and doesn't fit the colour of my snow suit. We want to build a big snow man, bigger than me."

Olivia couldn't help but chuckle about Rafael's disappointed expression while she helped Noah pull the sweater over his head, and she planned on cheering him up after Amanda picked up Noah later.

She was sure he wouldn't object to taking his sweater off as well.


	103. Secrets

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr – Catch-up Week

Prompt: shower; touch; secret; pause; surrender; trust; betrayal; ring

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback! :)

* * *

 **Secrets**

Rafael looked up from the book he'd been reading and smiled when Olivia entered the bedroom, smirking while climbing onto the bed in her robe, hair still damp from the shower she just took. He couldn't help but run his gaze over her body as she crawled over to his side of the bed – he would never get enough of this woman.

"Good evening, Counselor," she said huskily, sending shivers down his spine when she straddled his lap. Her hands landed on his shoulders and her touch made his skin tingle pleasantly; placing his palms on the small of her back with a grin, he gazed up at her.

"Hello Lieutenant."

"I know you have a secret."

Rafael paused for a moment, taken by surprise, but then he managed to regain his playful expression – he'd expected her to notice eventually. And he knew exactly what she was trying to do right now, but it wouldn't work with him. Maybe he would let her seduce him, but he wouldn't surrender, at least not yet, when his preparations weren't done yet.

"So? And what are you going to do about it, mi amor?"

Olivia shrugged, one side of the robe slipping down to reveal bare skin. "I had hoped that you would tell me. You know I trust you, so a betrayal wouldn't be good for us."

"Interesting new interview tactic by the NYPD. Don't worry. I'll tell you when the time is right. Promise," Rafael replied softly, leaning forward to place kisses on her soft skin, knowing the ring to be securely hidden in a drawer in his office. Olivia sighed and it was her who surrendered for now, trusting him that he would tell her eventually why he'd been so secretive lately.


	104. An Unpleasant Affair

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr – Catch-up Week

Prompt: anger; ice cream; regret

I hope y'all enjoy it! :)

If someone is wondering and/or curious: I introduced Fia in my twoshot "A Serenade Of Interruptions"

* * *

 **An Unpleasant Affair**

"Rafael, wine," Olivia said curtly, frustration and annoyance swinging in her voice while she elbowed her boyfriend.

"Empty." Rafael sounded equally grumpy while he shook the bottle, earning a glare from the woman sitting to his left.

"Seriously? I'm too sober to survive this evening," Fia hissed in anger and Rafael sighed in defeat. He was sitting on his mother's couch, between Olivia and his younger cousin Fia, feeling like he was in hell.

Lucia Barba had decided that now that her niece had moved back to New York, the closest part of the Barba family should meet regularly for dinner. Of course she skilfully ignored that the only person who seemed to be excited about the idea was Noah, and he was easy to win over when promised ice cream. For the rest of the present people it meant constant reminders that Lucia expected weddings and more grandchildren from all of them.

"I regret moving away from Chicago. It was so quiet and Lucia-free." Fia placed her elbow on the side of the couch and supported her chin on her fist. "Nobody who drops by every day to tell you that your biological clock is ticking. I turned thirty two months ago and she acts like everything will be lost if I don't find a man to marry as soon as possible."

"At least I don't have _that_ problem," Olivia stated with a trace of schadenfreude, and Rafael bit his bottom lip before clearing his throat awkwardly.

"She came to my office with adoption brochures."

Olivia groaned while Fia and Rafael exchanged a glance; Lucia exclaimed from where she was playing with Noah: "So, Delfia, have you met someone nice this week?"

"We have to get rid of her," the younger woman hissed furiously while digging her fingernails into her cousin's forearm.


	105. Parents Always Know

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr – Catch-up Week

Prompt: Christmas; snow; hug

Can totally be seen in the same timeline as "Like Father, Like Son" ;)

I hope you enjoy it! Tell me if you like this 'Next Gen' theme ;)

* * *

 **Parents Always Know**

Olivia and Rafael knew that it was wrong to spy on their eighteen year old son like this, but curiosity got the better of them, and so they were pressing against the doorframe leading to the hallway, barely breathing as they listened to his slow footsteps to the front door and how he opened.

"Merry Christmas, Noah," Jesse said with a soft smile on her face and Noah could feel his heart jump in his chest when they hugged. She had some snow in her blonde hair and her clothes were damp as it was snowing heavily outside, but that hadn't kept her from coming over like she did every year, bringing him his Christmas present.

Rafael elbowed his wife with a smirk when the two lingered longer than necessary and Olivia almost squealed, making a mental note to add another fifty bucks to the betting pool their family and friends had set up.

"Merry Christmas, Jess. You really didn't have to come, it's freezing outside. Come on, I'll make you a hot chocolate," Noah replied, concern swinging in his voice, and Olivia's fingernails dug into Rafael's forearm while they sneaked back to the couch.

"I want to see your face when you open the present. Thanks, hot chocolate sounds perfect."

Jesse briefly waved at Olivia and Rafael when Noah and her walked past the living room and they found it hard to act natural, especially since they'd realised some time ago that their son had a serious crush on his best friend.

"Let's just hope he isn't coming after you, Rafael," Olivia hissed while they listened to Jesse and Noah's laughter coming from the kitchen, and Rafael laced his fingers through hers.

"Don't worry, mi amor, in that point he surely doesn't."


	106. Advice Needed

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr – Catch-up Week

Prompt: ice cream

I hope y'all enjoy it :)

* * *

 **Advice Needed**

"Papí?"

"Hm?"

Noah gave Rafael a sheepish sideway glance and hesitated for a moment before concentrating on his ice cream cone again, watching the chocolate ice cream melt slowly on this warm day, starting to run down the cone. There was something he wanted to ask because he felt like he needed advice, but he was also worried that his father might laugh about him. "I... I need help... I think I have a crush."

Rafael's eyes widened as he almost choked on the bit of ice cream he had in his mouth and quite some people walking past their bench turned around as he coughed out: "What? You're too young for that!"

"But I'm already eleven years old!" Noah frowned in confusion and Rafael seemed shocked for a second.

"Oh, yeah, you're right... so... who is she... or he?"

Shifting awkwardly, Noah lied hastily: "Nobody you know. I just... can you tell me what I should do now? I always feel so tingly around her!"

Sighing, Rafael slung his arm around his son's shoulder. "Love is a very complicated thing, mijo. And sadly I'm not an expert, you know how long it took me to admit my feelings to your Mama."

"Yeah, that was very long," Noah replied matter of factly and Rafael playfully elbowed him before pulling him close again.

"If you're good friends with her I would advise you to wait a bit, just continue to be a good friend. Maybe the feeling disappears, and if it doesn't and you're sure you want to be more than her friend, then we can... ask your mom for help."

Noah somehow felt like he should have done that from the beginning.


	107. This Is The End

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr – Catch-up Week

Prompt: energy; secret; betrayal; accident; discovery; trust

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback.

* * *

 **This Is The End**

"Hey, how was your day?" Olivia asked while putting her book down, watching how Rafael slumped onto his side of the bed as if she'd been robbed all his energy. "Did you get your paperwork finished?"  
"Yeah." Rafael's arm came to rest over his eyes and he released a long breath. "My day ended kinda... weird, though."

Shifting so she could sling her arms around him and rest her head on his shoulder, Olivia simply waited until he felt ready to tell her what was going on. "My mother had a secret from me. A big one. Kept it from me for years!"

She could tell that he was desperately trying to stay calm, shock and betrayal swinging in his voice. "I suppose she didn't exactly tell you?"

"No, I found out accidentally. I... how am I going to look her into the eyes after this discovery?! She lied to me for years, I trusted her... She shattered my world!"

Olivia pressed a kiss to his temple and carefully asked: "What did she do, Rafael?"

Rafael took a shaky breath, looking like he was barely able to get the words together, and his voice was almost breaking when he said dramatically: "She never baked her torticas de moron herself!"

For a long moment Olivia was silent, staring at Rafael in disbelief, then she couldn't hold herself back. "You're acting like it's the apocalypse because of _cookies_?!"


	108. The Most Important Day Of The Year

Apparently, yesterday was National Ice Cream Day. Wherever "national" is. Do people forget there's life outside US? *waves* ;)

Anyway. Here we go^^ I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

 **The Most Important Day Of The Year?**

"Papí, Papí, do you know what day is today?" Noah exclaimed as he raced into Rafael's office like a little whirlwind, a wide grin on his face. Lucy could barely follow him, carrying Noah's little backpack and setting it down on the couch while Rafael stood up from his chair and scooped his boy up.

"Thank you for bringing him over, Lucy. Good luck with your exam!"

Lucy mumbled a slightly nervous thank you before waving at Noah and leaving, closing the office door behind her softly. Noah tugged at Rafael's tie to regain his attention, brown eyes gleaming in excitement. "Papí, you know what day is today? It's really important!"

Rafael made a playfully pensive face while looking at Noah. "Hm... it can't be your birthday... and it's definitely not Christmas."

Chuckling softly, Noah shook his head. "You're silly, Papí. My teacher told us today is National Ice Cream Day!"

"Really?" Rafael asked, surprise swinging in his voice. "That wasn't in my calendar! So, how do you celebrate Ice Cream Day?"

Noah cocked his head to the side, wearing his most persuasive smile while innocently replying: "By eating as much ice cream as you can."

He knew what Noah wanted to say, it was more than obvious, but Rafael forced himself to raise an eyebrow at his son. "Noah, Mama wouldn't approve."

"And if we eat salad for dinner?

The boy wasn't ready to give up yet, and Rafael felt a bit of pride swell inside of him at Noah's negotiation talents. And if he were honest, eating ice cream with his son suddenly sounded a lot better than working his way through the paperwork for the last two hours of the day. He didn't have any appointments or court the next day, so there wouldn't be any harm...

"Grab your backpack, mijo!" he said enthusiastically and bumped his nose against Noah's smaller one before setting him down. "We'll treat ourselves today."


	109. Caution

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr

 **Prompt:** arouse

This doesn't fit the season at all, but who cares XD

I hope you all like it, I'm looking forward to your opinions :)

* * *

 **Caution**

"Mama, I don't think this is safe!" Noah exclaimed, eyeing the white, slippery surface in front of him while clutching Jesse and holding her in a half embrace as if he wanted to keep all harm away from them both. His brown eyes widened in shock when he heard a kid scream on the other side of the rink and his hold on Jesse only seemed to tighten. Jesse looked a little bit torn; the little girl wanted to try this new activity and she usually was more courageous and adventurous than Noah, but she also trusted Noah and believed that his worry always had a good reason.

Olivia and Rafael kneeled down in front of their son and his best friend, exchanging a glance and silently agreeing on a way to arouse their son's interest for trying ice skating. "Noah, sweetie, it's not unsafer than the monkey bars in preschool," Olivia said softly, pulling Noah's scarf a bit tighter carefully, earning a sceptic glance from her son.

"She's right, mijo. And do you remember the last scene of Frozen?"

Noah nodded tentatively while Jesse's gaze wandered over to a few teenagers who were playing hockey at the far end of the rink. Rafael smiled at his son and said: "Well, Elsa and Anna and Olaf did skate too, didn't they? They had a lot of fun."

"It's a movie, Papí," the boy replied in a voice that reminded his parents faintly of the way Lucia talked to them when she was tired of hearing nonsense.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that skating won't be fun anyway."

Shaking his head, Noah's eyes widened in horror when Jesse suddenly tugged at his winter jacket and exclaimed: "Noah, I wanna try!"

With some more than obvious reluctance Noah surrendered to his fate.


	110. An Afternoon Of Surprises

As I'm going through my folder of ideas I found this little thing – we definitely need Barba yachting in Season 19. Preferably with Benson.

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **An Afternoon Of Surprises**

Olivia had always hated getting new cases on weekends, and this feeling had only intensified after she'd adopted Noah, but unfortunately criminals didn't plan their crimes so they fit her schedule. And so once again an afternoon at the playground was cut short by the ringing of her phone; Lucy was out of town and so Olivia had to take Noah to the precinct with her, just glad that she always kept some toys at her office for him. Noah didn't appear too bothered, mostly because Amanda had told Olivia on the phone that she would have to bring Jesse too and the news about getting to play with his best friend pacified the boy greatly.

Fin was at the crime scene to get some first information from the CSU guys and coordinate the door to door while Amanda and Carisi set off to the hospital after Amanda dropped Jesse off to interview the victim. Mike gathered all the data they had about the young man while Olivia tried to contact his parents through the emergency contact number Fin had found in his wallet. Noah and Jesse were drawing pictures sitting on the floor in Liv's office, from time to time bringing one to her or Mike with big smiles.

About an hour later everyone returned to the precinct and she once again had to curse the people who committed crimes on the weekend – the victim had given Amanda and Carisi a short statement that required some input from Barba.

With a sigh, Olivia took her phone and dialed his number, though a small smile stole its way onto her lips as she saw how Mike abandoned his work for a few minutes to show Jesse and Noah a real police car downstairs.

Barba picked up relatively quickly, and she couldn't keep herself from teasing him that he was probably waiting for a call all day before explaining their situation to him.

"Can you bring the information over? I'm on my yacht."

She had to bite her bottom lip to stop a chuckle before agreeing, telling him to text the address of the yacht harbour. While gathering everything she needed and getting the squad car she kept imagining him on a giant motor yacht, lounging on his sun deck sipping champagne while awaiting her, maybe some posh Ivy League friends gathered around him.

And she sure saw some of these yachts and also people like that when she walked through the North Cove Yacht Harbour looking for his berth – in her casual jeans and tshirt she felt a little bit like a tramp compared to them.

To her utter surprise, the yacht awaiting her at the berth couldn't be more different from her imagination.

It was a rather average sailing yacht in white and blue, the only luxury seeming to be the navigational devices. Additionally, she barely recognised the owner for a second; Rafael Barba, wearing jeans and a polo shirt, his dark hair ruffled, was sitting on the deck, repairing something she didn't even know the name of. How could he be so tan despite wearing suits all day and why had she never known that he had craftsmanship?

He looked amazing in those jeans... and so handsome with his hair a bit windswept...

"Are you going to stand there forever or are you going to hand me the hammer, Lieutenant?" Rafael asked with a smug grin that seemed to tell her that he knew exactly that she'd been staring at him.

Olivia cursed inwardly – she'd had so many teases prepared but now they all had vanished from her mind just because he was so... him.

"Uh, sure," she mumbled, hurrying to climb get on board of the yacht and grabbing the requested item from the toolbox. "Nice boat."

Rafael's smile was almost boyish and he looked more relaxed than she'd ever witnessed before. "Thanks, I bought it together with Rita seven years ago," he replied casually while taking the hammer, gesturing for her to take a seat on the comfortable bench. He only needed another minute before finishing whatever he'd been doing and went to wash his hands quickly; when he came back, he had two mugs of coffee with him.

Olivia mumbled a thanks and took the mug, exchanging it for the papers, and he immediately started reading through everything. It gave her the opportunity to once again look at him, as if she wanted to savour this side of him that she probably wouldn't get to see again.

"I doubt I'll get a judge to interrupt his weekend for this, as much as I wished he would," Rafael said ultimately, regret in his voice and Olivia sighed. "But I'll take care of this first thing Monday morning, promised."

"Thank you, Barba. Really." Olivia shot him a short smile and slipped the papers back into her bag. "So, are you planning to sail today?"

"Not today, I only wanted to get everything ready for the summer. Why, you interested in coming with me?" he asked, smirking at her, and Olivia could feel her heart skip a beat. "You only have to say something."

Of course she wouldn't be opposed at all, spending some really private time with him, away from their offices or their usual places for lunch or nightcaps... and he would probably wear jeans again...

But was he really serious?

"I know that it's probably hard to plan, but I really wouldn't mind."

She blinked in surprise, then she heard herself say: "I guess it would be a lot of fun."

"It's a date, then."

Rafael's smirk only widened when she nodded and stood up to drive back to the precinct, asking herself how this had happened so suddenly, considering that they'd been dancing around each other for quite some time.

She'd just made a sailing date with Rafael Barba.


	111. Dropping A Brick

Contains a Miss Congeniality quote. I will always love this movie.

I don't know if she remembers, but this idea was co-invented by barsonaddict. Our early days XD

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback!

* * *

 **Dropping A Brick**

Rafael should have seen it coming.

When he'd decided to make a stop at the precinct before going home so he could bring Olivia some paperwork he'd had a slightly weird gut-feeling, but he'd ignored it.

How utterly stupid.

Though, on the other hand, it was just the precinct, a safe space, what was supposed to happen?

He never would have thought that Olivia Benson would happen.

She had the habit of sweeping him off his feet in moments he least expected her to, and beautiful chocolate brown eyes or her smile sometimes stole their way into his thoughts, but thanks to his excellent self-control he'd always been able to keep these moments and his feelings to himself.

Until tonight.

Rafael hated himself for it, but he couldn't help but stare at her, his jaw dropping a bit, when he entered the squad room and spotted her coming from her office. Her hair was framing her face in soft curls, dark make-up made her eyes that bit more expressive and her curves were spectacularly accentuated by the green dress she wore.

It wasn't like he'd ever really cared about her clothes, as he thought that she always looked beautiful, but this dress made his brain stop working. To his shame he had to admit to himself that it was as if his nightly fantasies – which he tried to suppress all the time because you just didn't think of your friend like this – had come alive.

He faintly heard Carisi say something about an undercover thing the squad was planning, but he just was too focussed on the woman striding through the squad room – had she told him to kneel, hell, he would have.

Though he had to realise that fantasy and reality weren't too similar; suddenly Olivia was standing in front of him, her heels making her taller than him, and she was glaring at him, her beautiful eyes twinkling with annoyance. Anger made her voice sharp as she hissed: "I'm in a dress, I have gel in my hair, I won't get any sleep tonight, I'm starved and I'm heavily armed. Don't mess with me, Barba!"

Rafael gulped hard and he felt his face flush as he looked up at her, definitely intimidated, but a part of him couldn't help but imagine how it would be if she pressed him up against a wall with her body...

Also, where did she hide her gun in that dress?

A wave of embarrassement about himself rushed through him as Olivia pushed past him, her fury more than obvious.

He felt like an asshole, and he was convinced that she thought so too.

OoO

When Rafael left the precinct some time later – he'd needed a moment to gather himself – all he wanted was to go home and wallow in his shame while he hoped that Olivia Benson wouldn't hate him for the rest of their lives.

However, something told him not to leave, and this time he listened to his gut, settling in a bar by the precinct and taking a drink while trying to come up with an effective apology. It took a few hours, but the luck was on his side now; well into his third drink he saw the squad get out of their cars, leading a cuffed guy into the precinct. He hurried to pay for his drink and slowly made his way across the street, taking the time to talk himself through his planned speech again while in the elevator.

Everyone was trying not to stare too obviously at him when he walked through the squad room towards Olivia's office – so they'd obviously witnessed his... whatever that earlier was. Malfunction, idiot moment... whatever. Holding his head high, he marched past them and gently knocked on the doorframe of Olivia's office, forcing himself to look at her face, and _only_ her face when she raised her head.

"Liv, I came to apologise for earlier. I'm sorry I stared at you like that, I didn't mean to objectify you. I know it's not a reasonable explanation but I was just dazzled by... by your look."

Olivia had pulled an NYPD jacket over her dress and it helped him a lot to concentrate, though he was still blushing, something that had never happened to him in front of her to this day. Relief rushed through him when she gave him a soft smile after a moment of staring at him in surprise.

Rafael swallowed hard when she leaned forward a bit to pull off the thigh holster that had been concealed under her dress – he had no idea how she'd done that – and he was proud that his gaze jumped down to follow her movement for only the fraction of a second.

And when she moved over to him, smile widening, he thought he was dreaming again.

"It's okay. But don't get used to it," she said, kissing his cheek before grabbing her bag and strutt off, leaving him standing in her office, stunned by the turn of events, skin tingly where her soft lips had touched him.


	112. Smooth Sailin', Darling

Continuation of 110: An Afternoon of Surprises

The lyrics of Smooth Sailin' from Leon Bridges don't have much to do with the story, but the song just sounds really good :)

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **Smooth Sailin', Darling**

Olivia's heart was beating fast in her chest as she walked through the harbour, heading towards the berth of Barba's yacht. It was Sunday morning, around ten, and she'd just dropped Noah off at Amanda's place, glad that her friend had time to look after her son and that Noah was more than happy to play with Jesse. Of course Amanda had smirked knowingly when Olivia had admitted that she had a... thing with Barba this Sunday, but Olivia had wisely refrained from giving any more details, as she wasn't exactly keen to give Amanda more fuel to feed into the rumour mills.

Especially since she wasn't sure if this was just a little trip that was normal for friends or if this really was a date. The last thing she wanted was to interpret too much into the situation and endanger their friendship.

"There you are, Liv!" she heard Rafael's voice and she was almost swept off her feet when she lifted her head and spotted him on deck of the yacht: he was wearing the jeans again, a white polo shirt and sunglasses, his hair once again ruffled and she wanted to punch him for being so damn handsome. He was smirking when he stretched his hand over the railing to help her to climb on board, and Olivia smiled back, asking herself why the hell she agreed – this would be torture.

"The weather is perfect for sailing for the first time," he explained while grabbing the basket that had been standing next to him on the deck, leading her down into the nicely furnitured cabin. "I made us some lunch."

They both stopped short when their gazes fell on the small table in the corner – a package of condoms was lying there. Rafael hurried to grab it, clearing his throat almost awkwardly before grumbling under his breath: "Rita, I swear I'll stab you with your Louboutins..."

Holding the condoms he turned around to her and said: "They're not mine. Rita thinks she's funny. I'll just uhm, put them away. You can put your purse on the bench."

Carefully pushing past her he let the package disappear in one of the cabinets, a hint of pink on his cheeks; Olivia chuckled under her breath despite being a little embarrassed herself. It was just the imagination of Rita Calhoun, whom she'd always perceived as a very focused and serious person, pranking Rafael – it was hilarious in her opinion.

Rafael cleared his throat again to break the silence that was hanging between them for a moment, pulling two light life jackets from a cabinet. "Here, put it on, then I'll show you the basics."

Olivia raised her eyebrow playfully while taking the blue jacket from him, feeling the need to lighten the atmosphere – they were adults, a package of condoms shouldn't make them this uncomfortable. "Can I see your skipper certificate?"

"As far as I remember the Atlantic isn't under NYPD jurisdiction," he shot back with a cheeky smirk. "Don't worry, so far nobody died."

While following him back on deck she chuckled. "That doesn't sound very optimistic."

"Well, right now you can still get off this boat, Liv."

She made a show of thinking about his words, then shot him a smirk and said: "I think I'll risk it."

Their light banter made her feel even more comfortable and she'd already forgotten about her earlier nervousness when he started to explain some nautical basics to her, just as the safety rules. He made sure that she'd understood everything and she found that she liked listening to his calm voice, absorbing everything he talked about.

They were joking when they left the port and Olivia could barely stop smiling as the wind started to blow around her nose on the Hudson River – it felt good to get some distance between them and the city, though the sight of the skyline was great. She snapped some pictures as they slowly passed the city and ultimately left it behind; as soon as they'd left the busy traffic in the bay behind Rafael motioned for her to come over to him. "I'll show you how to steer so I can hoist the sails, okay?"

"You're putting a lot of trust in me, Counselor."

"Of course I do," he replied with a smirk while she stepped closer, taking the wheel and gulping hard when he placed his hands over hers, his voice calm as he told her about the best way to hold the course. Her heart was speeding up when she felt his warmth against her body even though they weren't touching and she had a hard time concentrating, so she was glad when he soon decided that she was a natural and he trusted her not to sink them.

But even though he was now moving around on the deck several meters away from her she still felt tense, and maybe a little bit frustrated – once again they'd had a moment that made her realise that there was more than friendship between them, but they were both too cowardly to talk about it.

Shaking her head lightly, she forced these thoughts out of her mind, telling herself to simply enjoy this day.

And it really worked for most of their trip.

Olivia couldn't remember the last time she'd had that much fun without Noah; the wind and the fresh, salty air seemed to clear her head and after some hesitation she really started to enjoy sailing, even though she could only steer the yacht for now. Around lunchtime they anchored close to the shore and Rafael brought the basket with the food on deck.

"If you really want to learn sailing a bit you can come with us the next time Rita and I find time to go. She's a lot better at explaining everything than I am," he offered while handing her a bottle of water, then pulled several wraps wrapped in paper out. "Chicken or Tuna?"

She was genuinely surprised about his offer – she had the feeling that sailing had a tradition for Rita and Rafael – and smiled gently. "Only if I don't intrude. Chicken, please."

"You won't. We regularly take people with us." Taking the wrap from him she nodded, feeling her heart skip a beat.

"I would like that," she said and he returned her smile, their gazes locking. Warmth spread in her stomach as they looked at each other for longer than what would have seen as normal until she cleared her throat and let her gaze wander over the horizon. "This is nice. We're still so close to the city but all the stress seems so far away."

"Yeah, it's amazing, isn't it? I wished I could get out more often."

Olivia couldn't keep herself from chuckling at that and bumped her shoulder against his while unwrapping her food. "Don't act like anybody is forcing you to spend your Sundays working through paperwork. You could easily take that day for yourself."

Rafael sighed dramatically, raising his hands in defeat and said: "You caught me. I'm a workaholic."

"Nothing new, really."

They both laughed and Olivia smiled at Rafael before getting more serious, a little bit of nervosity fluttering in her stomach. "But seriously, Rafael... if you want to do something else than work on a Sunday, you're always welcome to join Noah and me. When the weather is good we usually go to the park, but Noah keeps reminding me that it's been too long since we last were at the zoo."

Had she just used his first name? She hadn't even noticed, but she knew that he would, as she barely ever called him Rafael. Also her offer... maybe it was too obvious what she was secretly hoping for... he would probably decline...

"As long as there'll be ice cream I'm in." A boyish smirk appeared on his face and Olivia's eyes widened in surprise.

"It's a date, then," she ultimately said, feeling excitement rush through her when he nodded, looking as if there was nothing he would rather do.


	113. Take A Break

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt

 **Prompt:** demand

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions :)

* * *

 **Take A Break**

"I can _hear_ you pouting, Rafael. Stop it," Olivia grumbled as she pushed her glasses up her nose, not looking up from the paperwork that was lying on her lap. She couldn't believe that he was being whiney about her having to work at home because of all the cases the SVU had gotten lately – he was the worse workaholic of them, after all.

And of all evenings of the week it was today that he had to demand cuddles and surpass Noah with his nagging. He'd already cuddled with their son for several hours and after bringing Noah to bed he now thought that it was her turn.

"I just think that you need a break."

"You're a hypocrite," Olivia simply stated and continued to scribble on the paper in front of her.

She could hear how Rafael mumbled something under his breath, and then he said a little louder: "Livy, please. I stop working for you too."

Before she knew it he was sitting next to her, looking at her with the puppy dog eyes that Noah had patented – Olivia felt her resolve wavering.

Damn these two boys.

His arm slipped around her shoulder and she couldn't keep herself from leaning into him with a sigh, feeling some of the stress flowing from her body. "Rafi, I really need to get this finished or I'll drown in paperwork."

"I know," he said with a sigh, kissing her temple. "But maybe you would be able to get everything done faster if you would relax for half an hour. That's what you tell me all the time, mi amor."

"Damn you and your waterproof argumentations."


	114. A Surprising Demand

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt

 **Prompt:** demand

Inspired by the Behind the Scenes photo of Mariska and the boy who plays Noah (Jack?) walking down the street.

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **A Surprising Demand**

"Mama? Can I ask you something?" Noah asked innocently while holding on to his mother's hand tightly, walking down the street with her, the sun shining down at them.

Olivia smiled softly. "Yes, sure, sweetie."

"Will Rafa move in with us?"

His question took her by surprise and she stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. Was this the conversation she'd been dreading? Would Noah tell her that he didn't like Rafael? They'd only been dating for a few months, trying to get Rafael and Noah used to each other slowly. Squatting down in front of Noah she took his hands, looking at her son.

"Why do you ask? Rafael and I haven't been dating for that long, and moving in is a very big step, you know, one that we're not talking about yet."

"Oh," Noah mumbled, puzzling his mother a little with the trace of regret in his voice. "But I like Rafa. I want him to read me bedtime stories every day!"

"Really?" Olivia felt her heart swell when Noah smiled sweetly and nodded, his eyes gleaming. "I'm sure he'll be happy to hear that. Why don't you tell him when we go to the zoo on Sunday?"

The boy nodded eagerly and she kissed his forehead, incredibly glad that Noah felt like this.

"But can I tell Rafa that I want him to live with us?"

She chuckled softly as they continued their walk. "Well, you can do that if you want, of course."

Olivia couldn't deny that she was genuinely curious what Rafael's answer to Noah's demand would be.


	115. Another Misconception

A continuation of 61. Misconceptions, inspired by a prompt found on Tumblr.

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback!

* * *

 **Another Misconception**

Olivia couldn't help but hug Rafael gratefully when he put the big bag of clothes for Noah and her down in his hallway. Her apartment was now being renovated and originally Fin had wanted to accommodate them, but unfortunately his neighbours were going through a weird phase of screaming at each other before having extremely loud make up sex and he'd told them that it was enough when one of them couldn't sleep.

So Rafael had been her saviour, literally, offering her to let them stay at his place for the week.

"Liv, please stop, you're scaring me," Rafael said with a chuckle as she pulled back again; Noah was coming from the guest room with a big, excited smile on his face.

"Mama, I get to sleep in a grown up bed!"

Olivia chuckled softly and Rafael smirked before mumbling something about cooking dinner. Grabbing her bag, Olivia carried it into the guest room while telling Noah that they would have to share the big bed in there – Noah's smile fell a little bit.

"What? But I want to sleep alone! Rafa! Mama can sleep in your bed, right?"

She could hear Rafael pausing in the kitchen and she gulped too, trying not to shuffle awkwardly. Not that she would object to sharing a bed with Rafael Barba... she just had the distant feeling that it wouldn't be exactly professional. After clearing her throat she smiled at her boy, replying: "I'm sure we two will be okay, Noah, it's only for a week. Come on, how about we help Rafael cook?"

OoO

It was a few hours later when Olivia had to overthink her own words. They'd all went to bed early as it was in the middle of the week and they had court in the morning, needing to be properly rested. However, Olivia soon realised that Noah wasn't the easiest bed partner.

He fell asleep quickly after his bedtime story and she settled in too, relaxing, but just as she was about to slip into a slumber Noah started kicking and punching around in his sleep, hitting Olivia in the ribs. At first she tried to soothe Noah without waking him, then she gave up and got out of bed, wrapping her blanket around herself to keep warm while padding out onto the hallway as quietly as possible.

For a moment she contemplated sleeping on the couch, even though it wasn't the most comfortable piece of furniture, but then she saw light shining through under the door of Rafael's bedroom and her heart skipped a beat as a thought appeared in her mind.

Should she ask him if she could stay in his room?

They were adults, friends, surely they could manage.

Taking a deep breath, she gathered all her courage and knocked quietly on the door before opening it a little. "Rafael? Can I come in?"

There was a rustle of fabric, as if he was sitting up abruptly. "Yes, of course. Is anything wrong, do you need something?"

Rafael had a few files on his lap and Olivia couldn't help but smirk. "I thought you wanted to sleep? This isn't sleeping."

"Funny," he shot back dryly, taking in the blanket wrapped around her and raised his eyebrow questioningly. Olivia sighed and shifted nervously.

"Noah is obviously a ninja in his dreams, I got a kick in the ribcage and I'm pretty sure that he took control of the whole bed by now."

"I knew we shouldn't have watched Kung Fu Panda after dinner," Rafael said with a chuckle and moved over on the bed, patting the mattress. "Come on. I need you to be fit for the interrogation tomorrow."

She felt a tingle in her stomach while she moved over to the bed with a grateful smile, telling herself that this would only be for one night anyway and that it wasn't a big deal. "Thank you."

"No problem." They both settled under their respective blanket and Olivia couldn't keep herself from inhaling the scent that clung to the pillow.

To her own suprise she fell asleep quickly and rested better than she had in months.

OoO

It had only been supposed for one night, but in the end Olivia and Rafael ended up sharing his bed for the next days, as Noah just couldn't get used to his mother lying next to him – or one night wasn't enough for him to complete his ninja business.

But somehow, neither of them minded.

Olivia didn't know why, but having Rafael lie next to her, listening to his even breathing and the occasional mumble relaxed her a lot.

On Saturday, Noah even jumped into their bed, waking them abruptly while exclaiming loudly that he wanted pancakes. At first Olivia expected Rafael to be grumpy, but there was only a low chuckle coming from the heap of blankets he was lying under, then he replied: "Give me five minutes, amigo."

Only a little later he was standing in the kitchen in sweat pants and a Harvard tshirt, mixing ingredients together while joking with Olivia and Noah, who were sitting at his breakfast bar in their pyjamas. Their laughter filled the air and they were too focused on the silly story Rafael and Noah were making up together to notice that someone was entering the apartment.

Suddenly, a mix of a shocked gasp and excited squeal caught their attention and Rafael looked up, almost dropping the plate of pancakes he was holding while Olivia turned around, eyes widening.

Lucia Barba was standing in the living room, mouth slightly opened in surprise as she stared at the scene in front of her. After a moment of silence Rafael ultimately stuttered: "Mamí... it's... it's not what it looks like."

A small smirk stole its way onto Lucia's face and she shot her son a look. "So? What is it then?"

Rafael opened his mouth, but before he could give any explanation Noah thought he could help clearing the situation by piping up: "Mama and Rafa slept in one bed and I got to sleep in the grown up bed!"

After that, it took almost an hour until Olivia and Rafael were able to finally convince Lucia that they hadn't lied to her and that they really weren't in a relationship, that this was temporary because of a renovation.

Still Rafael had the feeling that she had her own opinion about the situation, at least if he interpreted her triumphant grins right.


	116. Like Paradise

Inspired by an edit made by me – you can find it on Tumblr ( _roseinutopia_ ) or on Instagram ( _barsonshippersvu_ ) :)

I hope you all like it, I'm looking forward to your opinions :)

* * *

 **Like Paradise**

Olivia took a deep breath, smiling happily as she inhaled the salty air and listened to the steady rush of the waves hitting the beach. She was cuddling a little more into Rafael who had his arms slung around her, holding her close while they watched the sun slowly set over the ocean, dipping everything into a golden light. Seagulls sailed on the light breeze that made the candles next to their blanket flicker and the lighthouse at the far end of the bay soon started to send a ray of light out into the distance.

"This is wonderful," Olivia whispered softly while Rafael pressed a kiss onto her temple. "I didn't know I needed a weekend away from the city so badly."

"Me neither. But this is great. The silence, the fresh air... but the company still is the best part about this."

A soft chuckle vibrated in Olivia's chest as she turned her head to look at him with love and kiss his lips gently. She couldn't remember the last time they'd been so relaxed; a few very big and difficult cases had drained all the energy from them lately, and so they'd spontaneously decided to leave Noah with Lucia for a sleepover and drive to the Hamptons for a weekend. One of Rafael's Harvard friends had a big beach house they could stay in and now, less than 24 hours after they'd arrived, Olivia caught herself wishing they could stay forever.

The only thing she missed was Noah, though of course she also enjoyed the quiet mornings without cartoons and a little cuddle monster launching himself at them when they were still slumbering.

Endless walks along the beach while holding hands, pootling around in the pool or relaxing in the sun... no phone calls, no rapists to catch... maybe this was what paradise felt like.

"We should do this more often. Noah loves the beach, he would go crazy in excitement if he saw that he can basically roll out of bed into the ocean," Olivia said after a few minutes of blissful silence and Rafael nodded, tangling his fingers in her hair.

"Wouldn't that be nice?"

They both knew that it would probably be some time until they could come back here for a family vacation, especially since they both were such workaholics, but dreaming never was wrong.


	117. Video Calls

Inspired by a prompt found on Tumblr.

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions! :)

Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 600 REVIEWS *_*

* * *

 **Video Calls**

" _And so they lived happily ever after,"_ Rafael said softly and Olivia gazed down at her son fondly, quietly standing up from the edge of his bed when she realised that he'd fallen asleep. Clutching the tablet tightly she sneaked out of Noah's room and into her bedroom, only starting to speak again when her door was closed.

"He misses you. Today he constantly asked if you would be home for his first softball lesson on Sunday, even though I told him a dozen times already that you would," she said with a sigh while slipping under her blankets, once again feeling like the bed was oddly empty without Rafael. But the DA had insisted that Rafael visit the conference in Washington, and they both knew that it was quite a big deal.  
 _"I miss you two too. So much. But only two more days, then I'll be home,"_ Rafael replied, the Skype connection stopping for a second. _"Until then I'm just glad that Sharky here is keeping my company."_

He waved Noah's stuffed shark in front of the camera of his tablet with a boyish smirk – Noah had acted like Rafael would be lost if he didn't take one of the stuffed animals with him. Olivia smiled back, shifting into a more comfortable position. "I can't believe you seriously took some of his goodnight stories with you just to read them to him via Skype. Are you strieving to become Papí of the year?"

Her tone was teasing but also light and Rafael laughed quietly. _"Sure, that's my strategy. And a nice side effect seems to be that his mother is drawn towards me because of that, too."_

"It's working," Olivia said, winking while wishing she could pull him into her arms in this moment. "You'll learn how much when you're home again."

" _Something tells me that I'm going to enjoy that demonstration a lot."_

"Hopefully. Okay, I need to sleep now, I got a lot of paperwork to tackle if I want to have a free weekend. I love you, Rafael."

" _I love you too, mi amor. Sweet dreams."_

She smiled and blew his picture on the tablet a kiss before they terminated the connection and Olivia put the device away, counting the exact amount of hours until she would be able to be in Rafael's arms again.


	118. Rainy Afternoon

Inspired by a prompt found on Tumblr

I hope you all like it, I'm looking forward to your opinions :)

* * *

 **Rainy Afternoon**

Heavy raindrops were hitting the windows of the apartment and ran down the glass, blurring the city lying behind, but Olivia, Rafael and Noah couldn't care less. It was cosy and warm inside, the mouth-watering scent of the cookies Rafael had baked earlier still hanging in the air.

A big fort built out of blankets, pillows and chairs occupied most of the space in the living room and Rafael's calm voice was coming from it, interrupted occasionally by Noah's soft giggles. The small family had squeezed itself into the fort and was now lying cuddled together, steaming mugs of hot chocolate and a plate of the lukewarm cookies making it undesirable to leave their little hiding place.

With Olivia and Noah lying against his back and chest, Rafael was reading Noah's newest book to them, using different voices for every character, much to Noah's amusement. Olivia was simply stroking his shoulder while her nose was pressed into his neck, inhaling his scent to relax and keep herself from thinking about the possibility that her phone could ring and destroy the peace.

"That's the wrong voice, Papí," Noah suddenly remarked, laughing, and Rafael gasped dramatically.

"I'm sure it was the right one, mijo!"

"No!"

"Are you calling me a liar?" Rafael asked in mock hurt, dropping the book and clutching his chest before starting to tickle his son. Noah screeched immediately and flailed his arms, almost hitting his mother in the face while begging her for help.

"You provoked it, Noah!" Olivia laughed loudly and joined her husband in tickling Noah, causing the boy to hurry to slip through a gap in the wall of the fort and flee. Rafael turned around and pulled Olivia on top of him, kissing her softly.

"Finally alone," he muttered against her lips, tangling his fingers in her hair, but then Noah suddenly ripped the blanket that formed the entrance to their fort to the side, aiming his water pistol at them with a big grin.

"Revenge is sweet, Papí."


	119. Hostile Takeover

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt

 **Prompt:** hostile

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **Hostile Takeover**

Rafael tried to be as quiet as possible as he closed the front door of the apartment behind him, locked it and took his shoes and coat off. He'd worked late in his office, trying to get as much paperwork done as possible before their planned vacation, and it was well past his family's bedtime now. As much as he regretted missing pasta tuesday, he knew that it would be worth it in the end, as having everything in order at work would help him to relax during their holiday.

Tip-toeing past Noah's room in order not to wake his boy, he quietly opened the door to the bedroom, the faint light indicating that Olivia maybe was still up, reading or playing on the app she used to refresh her Spanish.

A surprised smile rose on his face as his gaze fell on the bed; indeed Olivia was still sitting upright against the headboard, playing with her phone, and lying on Rafael's side of the bed was Noah, obviously fast asleep.

Olivia looked up and smiled back at him as he quietly moved into the room and took off his tie. "Hey," she whispered fondly, putting away her phone. "Noah claimed he could stay awake until you came home. Guess who won the bet."

Rafael chuckled under his breath as he slipped out of his suit. "I was wondering what this hostile takeover meant. Shall I carry him to bed?"

Olivia nodded while humming in agreement, bending to the side to kiss their son's scalp before Rafael came over, lifting the boy with ease. A fond smile lighted his features as Noah cuddled into his chest a little in his sleep and once again Rafael felt like the luckiest man in the world.


	120. Proud Parents

So, barsonaddict and I constantly make up scenarios and write random stuff together instead of doing our multichapter. And one day, this scenario came up – I present you the Barson side of the scenario, which we haven't touched ;)

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **Proud Parents**

"They tried to talk about retirement again today," Rafael grumbled as he put his briefcase down in the hallway and moved into the living room to kiss his wife. "It's starting to get annoying."

Olivia smirked as she pulled him closer, running her fingers through his grey hair while they kissed. When they parted, still holding each other, she remarked: "Well, you're sixty four. They probably think that it's time to start considering it seriously."

Rafael frowned like a child that had been told that it had to eat the vegetables and shook his head. "No, I'm still fit and win my cases, also there won't be any DA as competent as me when it comes to the SVU cases, even though Carisi is trying very hard. Also, are you throwing with rocks here, Captain?"

"No, I'm just trying to explain to you why they might think it's time for you to retire. Also, I'm only making sure that Amanda knows everything she has to before I step back," she replied with a chuckle, playing with Rafael's tie before pulling him impossibly closer while looking at him with desire.

"I really have to work on my timing," they suddenly heard a dry voice behind them and they parted a little while looking at their son in surprise. "Whenever I drop by announced you are making out."

"Noah, sweetie. What are you doing here? We thought you would be celebrating summer break!"

"Not that we don't appreciate you coming to visit your old parents, mijo," Rafael added with a grin and Noah chuckled.

"I won't bother you for long, I just wanted to ask you if I could borrow a tie from you, Papí."

Rafael looked at his son in confusion. "A tie? But you have so many."

"Yeah, but... uhm... I need a specific colour," Noah replied, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "It's... well... I met Amanda earlier today and she told me that Jesse's boyfriend broke up with her and tonight is her prom and... and I don't want her to miss it or go alone and feel bad because of this asshole, so I thought about surprising her..."

His cheeks got redder and redder with every explaining word that came over his lips and Rafael and Olivia exchanged a knowing glance. Parents _always_ knew, and they – and also Amanda – were still waiting for the day their children would admit that they felt more for each other than normal best friends would.

"I see, mijo. Come on, let's have a look. What colour do you need?" Rafael said while wrapping his arm around his son's shoulder with some difficulty – Noah was almost two heads taller than him – and they walked off to their walk-in closet. A proud smile spread on Olivia's face as she watched them; in moments like these she knew that they'd done everything right and had raised Noah to become a good man.


	121. In Nature's Arms

Some time ago I made a Barson edit where they were staying in a lakeside hut – when I saw this prompt on Tumblr I felt reminded of that and I just had to write it XD

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions! :)

* * *

 **In Nature's Arms**

Olivia hadn't ever thought herself to be a fan of spending more than half a day out in the nature, as she'd grown up in the city, and Rafael shared that opinion, but they were positively surprised by themselves when they spent a weekend alone in a small hut in the forest, right beside a lake.

No internet, no television, no food delivery and the next village was a twenty minute drive away, yet they didn't miss any of it. They'd brought books to occupy themselves and the silence was just wonderful; additionally, being the only ones out there encouraged some... experiments. Though they son realised that a raccoon was watching them and then they decided to refrain from further outdoor activities.

The Saturday afternoon brought a lot of heat and so they decided to take a bath in the lake to cool down.

"We should come back here with Noah, he would love it," Rafael said as they waded into the water, holding hands. "An adventure playground, his own pool..."

"Yeah, you're right," Olivia replied with a smirk, then suddenly pushed him into the water, a girlish giggle bubbling out of her as Rafael surfaced again, gasping for air and staring her with wide eyes.

"That wasn't nice!"

"No. But funny."

Olivia dove into the cool water with a big, cheeky smile and Rafael glared at her while pushing his wet hair back, grumbling: "How old are you, six? Not even Noah would do stuff like this! I was just going slow because you never know what could swim around in here!"

"Don't be such a coward, Rafi, there's nothing in here. The water is nice isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," Rafael mumbled when Olivia suddenly released a high-pitched scream and within a second she was by his side, slinging her arms around his neck and almost pushing him under water as she clung to him for dear life.  
"Somthing touched my foot! Something touched my foot, it was so slimy!" she exclaimed with a disgusted expression on her face and Rafael couldn't help but smirk at her.

"Oh, the tough NYPD Lieutenant is scared... didn't you just tell me that I shouldn't be a coward, mi amor? It probably only was a branch."

Olivia frowned and slowly let go of him, clearing her throat while pushing her wet hair back. "I know. I only tried to mess with you."

"Of course, mi amor, of course," Rafael shot back with a grin, stealing a kiss from her before swimming away – he wouldn't miss the opportunity to tease her with this situation whenever it was possible.


	122. A Bad Idea

Inspired by a prompt found on Tumblr

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback!

* * *

 **A Bad Idea**

"Are you really sure this is a good idea?" Jesse whispered, doubt swinging in her voice as she fiddled with the sleeves of her pyjamas. She watched in worry how Noah opened one of the kitchen cabinets and pulled the tin with the coffee out, emptying it into the trash can.

"Of course I am! They won't notice until I tell them they have been drinking decaf."

He opened the package of decaf powder he'd hidden in his room all day and poured it into the tin, giving her a reassuring smile.

"I still think it's a bad idea. Your parents drink so much coffee that they'll probably notice before they even had their first sip."

Noah shook his head while putting the tin back into the cabinet. "Normally you're the one of us who doesn't back out when things get risky."

"Well, but this is suicide, No," Jesse mumbled while they sneaked out of the kitchen and back into Noah's room, thinking that Noah hadn't thought this through – something that was highly uncharacteristic for him. But well, if he wanted to get grounded for the first time in his life with sixteen... sometimes you couldn't keep people from doing something stupid.

OoO

"Good morning, mi amor," Rafael greeted his wife quietly as she joined him in the kitchen, kissing him softly. "I hope I didn't wake you."  
"No, I just felt like having breakfast with you. Though remember to be quiet, I think the kids were up all night watching movies."

"We should have our own sleepover the next time Noah stays with friends," he suggested with a dirty smirk while taking the coffee from the cabinet. "Do you want pancakes, mi amor?"

Olivia pecked a kiss on Rafael's cheek and nodded. "Sounds amazing."

Opening the cap of the tin, Rafael looked at the coffee fondly and inhaled the scent before suddenly frowning. "Livy... this doesn't smell like our coffee."

He offered her the tin and Olivia made a disgusted noise, hissing: "What the hell is this?"

They exchanged a glance, then Rafael mumbled the name of their son – because no one else would have had the opportunity to exchange the coffee – and the two moved towards their son's room together, not caring about Jesse and Noah's sleep anymore. Olivia opened the door abruptly while Rafael turned the lights on; Noah immediately sat up in bed, looking completely confused as he blinked at them.

"Mum... Papí... what?"

"Noah, we love you and it's adorable you want to make our diet a little healthier, but this is going too far!" Rafael exclaimed, waving the tin in the air and Noah gulped hard.

Jesse's muffled voice came out from under the heap of blankets on the mattress on the ground, making Noah's parents smirk: "I told you, No."


	123. What Shall I Bring

Inspired by a Tumblr prompt

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback! :)

* * *

 **What Shall I Bring?**

"This is going to be a hell of a trial," Rafael grumbled while Olivia and him entered his office; he dropped the heavy stack of paperwork on the conference table while Olivia massaged her temples, releasing a soft sigh. "I knew he would get out on bail, the judge is one of the men who think that clothes are a rape invitation."

"I'm certain you'll be able to put him in jail. We just have to double and triple check every detail and make sure that Buchanan won't have anything to work with," she replied, the headache she had only intensifying at the thought of the amount of work that would mean, even with the whole team giving its best.

"Paperwork night?"

All she wanted in this moment was to crawl into her bed and sleep, but she knew that with this case her wish wouldn't come true for quite some time. "Yeah, but can we work at my place? I want to be able to fall into my bed as soon as we're done."

Rafael nodded, having no problem with that at all – in fact, he hadn't seen Noah for quite some time and to his own surprise he was starting to miss the little guy. Burying his hands in the pockets of his pants to appear casual, he gazed at her and asked: "Okay, shall I bring anything?"

He assumed that Olivia wasn't feeling up to cooking and he didn't mind running around town to find some place with healthy yet tasty take-out for Noah, so her answer did catch him slightly off guard and he had to cough to mask his surprise. "Your pretty smile. Please, bring that.

"Okay. I'll get some wine too, I guess."

Of course he knew that she'd been joking, but somehow he found himself liking the thought of being able to make Olivia Benson feel better just with a smile, even though it was only a fantasy.


	124. When Our Eyes Meet

Found on wordstruck.

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions! :)

* * *

 **When Our Eyes Meet**

 ** _mamihlapinatapei:_** _the wordless, yet meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something but are both reluctant to start._

Rafael tried to keep his smile polite and his tone interested as he made his tour around the room, and his well-practiced fundraising demeanor didn't falter once as he shook hands and had short conversations before moving on, even though it definitely felt like the string of people he had to talk to at least once would never end. Sure, fundraisers were the kind of event he least despised, as they were for a good cause, but he still hated the amount of socialising that was expected from him, although he was only a guest himself.

As he moved on yet again, his gaze wandered through the room and a small smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he spotted Olivia by the bar, looking phenomenal like always, wearing a simple black dress and a charming smile.

Suddenly she turned slightly, glancing over to him and their gazes immediately met, as if they were magnetically drawn towards each other. It was as if her smile, now solely directed at him, took all the negative feelings he'd had earlier away, and he felt warmth spread inside of him.

Rafael felt the need to go over and ask her if she wanted to dance, wanting to hold her close so this feeling wouldn't go away, and he was sure that he saw a glimmer of hope in her eyes as well.

But he didn't cross the distance between them, disappointment washing through him as he raised his glass after a small eternity of them looking at each other and smiled at her before moving on.

His desire to tell her what he felt for her was strong, but the fear of what could happen to their friendship after a confession was even stronger.


	125. Clear Nights

Inspired by a prompt found on Tumblr

(I accidentally posted too early this morning so the collection didn't get bumped to the top - make sure to check chapter 124 if you haven't yet^^)

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions! :)

* * *

 **Clear Nights**

Noah's eyes were big in wonder when they reached the top of the hill and he finally concentrated on the nightsky above them. A myriad of stars twinkled over their heads, inviting to dream, and the little boy couldn't tear his eyes away from the fascinating sight. Olivia and Rafael exchanged a soft smile as they followed their son, walking close with a blanket wrapped around their shoulders.

It was their first weekend far away from the city as a family, and they loved to see how excited Noah was about playing in the nature, exploring what he normally didn't get to see in New York.

"Mama, how many stars are out there?" Noah asked with big eyes, still staring up, and Olivia chuckled softly.

"I don't know, sweetie. Millions. Maybe more."

"That's a lot. And are there people like us out there?"

Rafael chuckled softly, feeling his heart swell at the curiosity Noah displayed – he'd hoped that this little trip would broaden Noah's mind, and it had obviously worked. "We haven't found them yet, mijo, but it's likely that somewhere out there, a little alien boy is looking up at the sky just like you, asking the same question."

Turning around briefly, Noah looked at them with big eyes, obviously loving the thought, then he returned his attention to the galaxies above. Olivia cuddled into Rafael's arms and smiled knowingly – Noah would probably ponder this piece of information for quite some time.


	126. End Of A Long Wait

Inspired by a prompt found on Tumblr

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions! :)

* * *

 **End Of A Long Wait**

Olivia sobbed in happiness and leaned her head against Rafael's shoulder as tears streamed down her face, gladly taking the tissue her husband offered her while blowing his nose into his own. "I can barely believe it's finally happening... we waited for this for so long..."

"Yes, mi amor, it's so wonderful... they look so happy..."

They both sobbed a little louder when Jesse and Noah exchanged the rings, smiling at each other with love and joy as the official spoke the last, most important words of the ceremony. "Our babies are all grown up," Amanda sniffed next to them, stealing a tissue from Rafael, and in the moment Jesse and Noah shared their first kiss as husband and wife the three started bawling even louder – Jesse and Noah were happy that they'd chosen a seaside wedding so the rush of the waves kept the sounds from becoming too obvious to them, and also they concentrated only on each other anyway.

Suddenly, firm smacks on their heads with a fan made the three parents stop abruptly and the whipped around in their chairs: Lucia was glaring at them, blissfully unaware of her hypocrisy as she said: "Hold yourself together, for fuck's sake!"


	127. We Knew It All Along

Found on wordstruck

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions! :)

* * *

 **We Knew It All Along**

 ** _koi no yokan:_** _'premonition of love'; the sense one can get upon first meeting another person that the two of them are going to falling love. This differs from the idea 'love at first sight' in that it does not imply that the feeling of love exists, rather refers to the knowledge that a future love is possible._

Olivia had tears in her eyes when she saw Rafael kneeling in front of her, looking at her with so much love in his gaze that she felt dizzy. The small diamond on top of the ring he was offering to her twinkled at her and her heart continued to skip a beat from time to time.

"Liv... the moment I first saw you I knew that you would be someone special in my life, I just had this feeling deep inside of me that told me just that, and it came true. I love you and Noah so much, and I want to be with you two. Will you marry me?"

"Of course," Olivia choked out and grabbed him by the tie, leaning down and also pulling him up slightly to kiss him, a few tears rolling down her cheeks by now.

It might sound a little weird, but the moment they'd shaken hands all these years ago, she'd known it, too, and now it had come true.


	128. Seeing The Positives

Inspired by a prompt found on Tumblr. Probably a possibility how 'Smooth Sailin', Darling' continued XD

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions! :)

* * *

 **Seeing The Positives**

"Well... this definitely isn't what I expected when you invited me to go yachting with you," Olivia said dryly as she pulled the blanket a little tighter around her shoulders, shivering slightly as a cool breeze blew into the life raft. Rafael still had the same look of disbelief on his face, staring at the waves that had swallowed his his precious boat about an hour ago, and defeat was clearly audible in his voice.

"Me neither. Of all the things I thought would happen, sinking the boat definitely wasn't something I considered to be possible. Rita is going to kill me. I should have went down with the boat, that would have been a more pleasant death."

"Yup."

Liv rummaged through the survival kit, feeling hungry despite the slightly fluffy feeling the constant rising and falling of the raft on the waves caused in her stomach. She opened the package of crackers she found and offered Rafael one, but he didn't even notice, so she shrugged and ate it herself. "And you thought I was joking when I asked for your license."

"I have a license, and I'm sailing regularly, thank you very much. Who would have thought that we would be ramming a buoy today?" he shot back, sounding slightly exasperated, and Olivia sighed.

"Well, I at least could have told you that not paying attention for the sake of snogging isn't the best idea."

"It's not like you were objecting," Rafael replied dryly and finally turned to look at her; they exchanged a dirty smirk and then he scooted over to her. "We maybe have about half an hour before the Coastguard arrives to fish us out of the water."

"Are you suggesting we do something useful in the meantime, Counselor?"

Olivia chuckled and grabbed the front of his polo shirt, pulling him in for a hot kiss. They might be drifting on the Atlantic ocean, but that didn't mean that they couldn't acknowledge the positives – nobody would disturb them out here.


	129. Tipsy and Happy

Inspired by a prompt on Tumblr

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **Tipsy And Happy**

Olivia giggled when Rafael pulled her onto the dance floor, both of them swaying slightly from the multiple glasses of wine they'd had for dinner. It was their tenth wedding anniversary and they'd invited all their friends and family to celebrate this day with a big party; obviously they were enjoying their evening.

"Come on, mi amor, let's show our boy how to dance," Rafael said with a cheeky grin and red cheeks as they started moving to the music, waving over at their teenage son who was sitting at one of the tables, looking like he wished he was anywhere else. His embarrassement was written all over his face as he tried to look anywhere but the dance floor, maybe hoping that miraciously everyone would forget that these two crazy people who were trying to dance in a cool way were related to him.

Only when Jesse joined her best friend did his face light up slightly and they both turned their backs on the dance floor as they chatted, glad that they didn't have to see how Olivia and Rafael started kissing like teenagers that were madly in love.

Frankly they didn't care, they were just deliriously happy and not ashamed of showing it off to everyone around them.


	130. Explanations

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt

 **Prompt:** caffeine

I hope you all like it, I'm looking forward to your feedback :)

* * *

 **Explanations**

"Papí, why are you drinking coffee every morning? It smells bad."

Noah looked at Rafael with big, curious eyes, still wearing his pyjamas and holding his stuffed penguin; it was Saturday, and so he would probably stay in this attire for most of the day if he could convince Olivia. Rafael on the other hand was wearing his suit already, having to go to the office to get some work for an important trial done.

"It doesn't taste bad, though. And the caffeine wakes me up in the morning, mijo," he explained fondly, turning to face Noah while placing his 'Best Papí in the world' mug on the breakfast bar.

"What is caff... caffee... this thing?" Noah questioned, cocking his head slightly as a puzzled expression came onto his face. A little sigh escaped Rafael as he tried to come up with an explanation that Noah would be able to understand; his boy was smart and he felt like the amount of questions he asked was getting bigger every day, and sometimes he struggled to give Noah a satisfying answer.

"Well, you know when you're waking up late in the morning and Mama switches on the lights in your room and shakes you awake, yeah?" he begun, and Noah nodded eagerly – how could he not remember those unpleasant mornings. "Well, caffeine does that, just a little slower and nicer."

"Oh... okay. But it still smells yucky."

And with that Noah jumped onto the couch to watch his cartoons, not knowing that Rafael was watching him with a soft smile, asking himself what he'd done to deserve this cute little boy and his wonderful mother.


	131. Little Monsters

I'm getting deeper and deeper into SVU Next Gen ;) If you have any wishes for Jesse/Noah, don't hesitate to tell me!

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions :)

* * *

 **Little Monsters**

Olivia and Rafael fell down onto the couch with sighs of relief and they immediately cuddled together, both extremely exhausted from having two kids to watch over – Jesse was there for a sleepover, and Noah and her always had way too much energy on such occasions. So most of their evening had consisted of running after the two as they played in the whole apartment, taking toys everywhere – Rafael had almost broken his neck while stumbling over a construction made of building blocks that had been placed strategically placed in the hallway.

He swore that they'd been plotting to kill him because he'd denied them cookies for the first time in forever.

After coming down slowly while drawing pictures – and colouring the floor with the crayons, too – Olivia and Rafael had gotten the two monsters ready for bed and hoped that they would be able to have some time for themselves now before they had to go to bed.

Jesse and Noah would be up around six in the morning, demanding pancakes with chocolate chips and cartoons.

The wine was already poured into the glasses, a movie was selected on Netflix and Rafael was just spreading a quilt over them when they suddenly heard something from the back of the apartment.

A light knock, then a giggle followed by Jesse's tiny voice: "Noah? D'you wanna build snowmen?"

"They're out of bed," Olivia groaned, forcing herself to sit up, and Rafael sighed in defeat as well. "And they've definitely seen Frozen too often."

"No more Disney for the weekend. Come on, mi amor, let's put them back to bed. Please let this be the last time tonight, I need my cuddles."


	132. Blinded By Happiness

I gotta admit, the behind the scenes pictures with Cassidy pissed me off, so I needed to write this XD

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **Blin ded By Happiness**

"Mama, can we get ice cream? It's so warm!" Noah pleaded, giving his mother his patented puppy dog eyes as they walked down the street, the boy in the middle of Olivia and Rafael and holding their hands. Olivia chuckled lightly and shook her head as Rafael came to Noah's support, giving her his boyish smirk as he knew she couldn't resist.

"Yes, ice cream, Livy! Pleeeease."

Noah skipped a few steps in excitement, knowing that when his Papí was on his side his mother would probably agree on having a treat.

She sighed heavily but continued to smile, gazing at her boys with love in her eyes. "Okay, one scoop. One! And you'll eat your salad for dinner without complaining!"

"Yes!" Noah and Rafael exclaimed and high fived each other, big grins lighting up their faces as the small family made their way towards the ice cream parlour, too focused on themselves to really have an eye on their surroundings.

Not even Olivia noticed Brian Cassidy as they walked past him, the feeling of happiness and to be able to spend the afternoon with the two people she loved most in the world keeping her from really paying attention.

She probably wouldn't have cared anyway.


	133. A Question To Tear Us Apart

Inspired by a prompt found on Tumblr.

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback! :)

* * *

 **A Question To Tear Us Apart**

"If I'd known this I would have thought twice about dating you!" Olivia hissed at Rafael, trying to keep her voice down so Noah wouldn't overhear them from the living room where he was playing with his building blocks. "I can't expose my son to such opinions!"

"You're acting like I'm wrong while it's more than obvious that you're the one endangering the boy!"

Rafael had crossed his arms in front of his chest and was glaring at his girlfriend. "What?! I know what's best for Noah!"

"Obviously not! Maybe this was a bad idea."

"It definitely was! I think we should end this!"

"Fine."

"Fine."

They shot each other some dark glances before Rafael said: "Okay, waffles, then. I still can't believe you think bagels are better than donuts."

"Because they are!" Olivia grumbled, hurrying to smile when Noah suddenly came into the kitchen.

"Mama, Papí, I'm hungry," he complained quietly, clutching his stuffed penguin while looking up at them with his big brown eyes.

Rafael pulled eggs and milk from the fridge while Olivia lifted Noah off his feet and supported him on her hip, pecking a kiss on her son's temple. "Don't worry, sweetie, Papí is making waffles now."

"I love Papí's waffles!" Noah replied sweetly and the tension between the adults disappeared within a moment, making them exchange smiles. Maybe always having the same for breakfast wasn't as bad as they'd been thinking; as long as Noah was happy, they would be, too.

Yet they both knew that the discussion about bagels vs donuts wasn't over yet.


	134. One Spring Night

An idea I had some time ago. Originally I planned to make a oneshot out of it, but inspiration didn't strike so I'm turning it into a drabble.

I hope you all like it, I'm looking forward to your feedback :)

 _College!AU_

* * *

 **One Spring Night**

The door of the motel room was pushed open and Rafael stumbled in, his arm wrapped around the waist of the beautiful brunette he'd met only a few hours ago at the beach. It was spring break, Miami was full with students wanting to let their hair down and Rita and him had welcomed the opportunity to let their hair down as well. If he was honest, he was too drunk to remember where Rita had vanished, he only vaguely remembered her shouting a name that sounded like Gin or Bin into his ear over the music.

However, he felt like he couldn't be blamed for forgetting this piece of information, considering that he felt like he was losing his mind from the fiery kisses he was currently sharing with the girl in his arms.

Olivia, that was her name.

It had started with some bickering at the bar, then they'd danced, snogged and well, now she was banging the door closed behind them and pushed him onto the bed, straddling his hips while desire sparkled in her brown eyes.

Their movements were frantic as they pulled their clothes off and explored every bit of revealed skin, the heat growing with every touch and kiss until they felt like they were burning. The fire and passion took control of them that night, their bodies wrapped around each other, and only when the first rays of the sun sneaked over the ocean did they fall into the sheets, exhausted but sated.

Rafael didn't know for how long he'd dozed, but when he woke up the mattress next to him was cold and abandoned, her clothes gone and all that remained was the faint scent of her perfume, the memory of how her body had felt under his hands, and her name.

Olivia.

In the almost three decades that followed, he never forgot the name, even though it seemed pathetic to feel so sentimental about a one night stand on spring break. It was just a feeling deep inside of him that he couldn't ignore, and so her name and her brown eyes stayed with him.

He approached Captain Harris and the two female detectives, giving them one of his smart comments before turning to shake the women's hands; the moment their hands touched and he looked into her eyes, he knew that it was her. The memories of their drunken night in Miami came back and it took him some effort to keep his composure.

Fate went funny ways sometimes, he realised.


	135. A Mother's Worry

I'm busy as I started my apprenticeship in August and haven't found a way to squeeze some writing into the week, so I won't be posting that regularly anymore, but I'll still try to give you some Barson as often as possible! :)

I hope you all enjoy this drabble, I'm looking forward to your feedback!

* * *

 **A Mother's Worry**

Olivia paced in her office, hands almost shaking in nervosity as she continued to glance at the clock hanging at the wall; Fin stopped in the doorframe, shaking his head about his friend's behaviour. She glanced at him, anger and worry shining in her brown eyes. "They were supposed to be here half an hour ago."

"I don't know why you're so worried, Liv."

His words caused her to stop her pacing and she whipped around, glaring at him. "He's your godson, Odafin, you're supposed to be worried t– Oh god."

Her eyes widened as she spotted someone behind him and Fin sighed as she pushed past him, hurrying to walk into the squad room and met her son in the middle of the room. Noah hugged his mother as she knelt down in front of him and gave her a smile, but her worry still wasn't gone completely. Looking up at Rafael, who looked weirdly pale and avoided her gaze, she asked: "How did it go?"

"I was brave, Mama, just like you told me! When the doctor gave me the needle I didn't cry," Noah told her with a proud expression and only now did she give him a relieved smile – she hadn't been able to take him to the doctor because of a meeting with Dodds and Rafael had never been to the doctor with Noah without her being there too.

"That's amazing, sweetie, I'm so proud. We'll get you some ice cream on our way home, okay?"

"Thank you," Noah said happily and then frowned slightly. "Will Papí get ice cream too?"

"Why?"

"When the doctor gave me the needle Papí passed out."


	136. One Moment Of Hesitation

I got some ideas for AU drabbles, so here we go. (Part Two of this is already planned ;) )

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback!

Assassin!AU

* * *

 **One Moment Of Hesitation**

The heavy steel door creaked when she pushed it open, the heavy chain that had secured it dangling pathetically as she dropped the bolt cutter and stepped out onto the roof, shouldering the big black bag again. While approaching the edge of the north side of the roof, the rubble crunching under the soles of her heavy boots, she assessed the weather for the last time. To her satisfaction, the sky was still clear, the sun was standing at the perfect angle and only a faint breeze was moving the air – the conditions were perfect.

She put the bag down by the edge of the roof and knelt down to open it, putting together the rifle with quick, practiced movements, then she loaded it, mentally preparing herself for the job. The tiny stones poked into her skin as she lay down and started observing the street below through the scope, knowing he would show up soon.

In the previous weeks she'd quickly realised that Rafael Barba, ADA of Manhattan, was a very predictable man when it came to certain rituals. During her research for this job she'd learned that he was a shark in the courtroom, always finding new ways to attack and win his cases.

But he had one weakness, and she'd been quite delighted when she'd discovered it; even the best assassin had to plan their kill to know how they could escape, and Rafael Barba's lifestyle made that almost impossible. He never came home at the same time of day twice, he didn't go running when the Central Park was deserted, and she'd started to feel frustrated until she'd clicked.

Coffee was the magic word.

A small smirk played around the corners of her lips when she saw him exiting One Hogan Place, phone pressed to his ear and talking with expressive gestures while crossing the street. Every day, on the minute, he went to the coffee shop across the street for a double espresso and a bagel.

She slowed her breathing down, concentrating on her heartbeat while her finger slowly wandered to the trigger while she followed his movements. Like every day, he was dressed impeccably, today in a grey three piece suit with expensive Brooks Brothers shoes made of brown leather, a blue tie with white dots finishing the outfit. He was an attractive man, she couldn't deny that, and through the scope she had a first row view on his hands and fascinating green eyes, filled with determination and wit.

"What a pity," she mumbled to herself while watching him enter the coffee shop and she briefly wondered since when she actually cared about the life she was being paid to take. It was her job, she'd been doing this for so many years that she'd lost count of the times she'd pulled the trigger or made the life vanish from a shocked pair of eyes in some other way…

And yet, she felt all her professionalism leave her when he stepped back on the pavement a minute later, carrying his coffee and a bag with his lunch. For a moment his gaze lifted and it was as if he was staring up to her with these intense green eyes, causing her heart to skip a few beats as shock rushed through her veins. If he could actually see her, she didn't know, but it felt like he was looking her into the eyes, staring into her soul.

She'd planned to shoot between two heartbeats, and she hesitated when the rhythm suddenly got messed up – one second too long.

Before she could get ready to shoot again he'd already crossed the street and disappeared in the building again, causing her to curse in frustration and ask herself what was wrong with her. It would have been so easy to pull the trigger and finish this job like any other, quickly and efficiently, but somehow, things were different this time.

Rafael Barba was different.


	137. A Different Approach

Yey, finally a new drabble ;)

I hope you all enjoy it!

* * *

 **A Different Approach**

When Olivia and Rafael had brushed the topic of moving in together for the first time, they'd been very tentative about the idea, despite having been in a relationship for about six months. Rafael often spent his weekends at the Benson's place and with every day he got more comfortable with Noah, but still he was the one to remark that maybe it would be too big of a risk to move together and have Noah get used to him even more. He loved Olivia and he loved Noah, and he really didn't want to think about losing them, yet he couldn't help but worry that if he fucked up, he would hurt the little boy and throw his world upside down (maybe again, even).

And so they'd dropped the topic, until Olivia decided that it was time to confront him and make him face his worries – while he still had his apartment, he was at her place most of the week and his suits were slowly becoming a serious problem, occupying way too much space. But his previous reactions to the topic had been so negative that she knew she needed to approach this topic in a different way; the moment she finished her plan a small, evil smirk played around the corners of her lips.

OoO

"Rafa?"

"Huh?" Rafael glanced up from the file he'd been reading, smiling lightly when he saw Noah climbing onto the couch to sit with him. "What is it, mijo?"

"Why do you still have your own place? Do you not like living with Mama and me? You can have my room if you want!" Noah said with the most infectious puppy dog eyes he'd ever used; Olivia, who was watching from the kitchen, was grinning triumphantly as she saw how Rafael's eyes widened in shock.

"Why are you asking, Noah? Of course I like living with you and your Mama! I love you two," he assured the little boy hastily, putting the file down on the coffee table and pulling Noah into an embrace.

Noah snuggled into him, leaning his head against Rafael's shoulder before admitting: "It's just… the Papís of the other kids in my class don't have an apartment. They live with the kids and their Mamas!"

From the way his eyebrows rose Olivia could tell that he was starting to get suspicious, but he kept his focus on Noah. "Do you want me to move in with you, mijo?"

"Sí," Noah replied with a smile, not the slightest sign of hesitation on his face or in his voice, and Rafael glanced over his shoulder for the first time, giving Olivia a crooked smirk.

"Well played, Lieutenant."

He dropped a kiss on Noah's hair and she grinned triumphantly – she hadn't doubted that he wouldn't be able to say No to Noah, not for a second.

Now she could finally show him the real estate listings she'd found so far without having to worry that he would panic.

She just hoped that there were apartments out there that had enough space for all his clothes.


	138. And We Run

I don't know where this idea came from, but I liked it^^

I hope you guys enjoy it too, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

Rebellion!AU

* * *

 **And We Run**

Her lungs were burning and aching with every sharp breath she took, her muscles were protesting and begging her to rest, but she didn't stop running. Eyes fixed on the street in front of her, she was only aware of where she was running, and of course of the man running by her side, their fingers entwined so tightly that their knuckles were white. Neither of them was willing to let go of the other, afraid to loose the last source of comfort they had in this chaotic world. Everything was falling apart because they'd tried to do the right thing, fighting for justice like they always had.

But this time, they'd really angered the wrong people, uncovering a dangerous criminal system of rich and powerful people. They'd told their bosses, the public, but they'd underestimated the connections these people had, and they suddenly found themselves under attack.

First, their integrity had been dismantled, now they were fearing for their lives.

"They're close behind us," Rafael panted, almost stumbling over his own feet as he briefly glanced over his shoulder, them both ignoring the weird glances some of the people passing by were giving them. "We need to go somewhere with more people!"

They didn't need to communicate loudly for their next decision, instinctively changing directions in the very same moment and heading for the stairs of the subway station on the other side of the street. People yelled at them when they pushed their way through the crowd of people coming up from the station, barely caring if they caused someone to fall over.

It was a small miracle that neither of them stumbled on the stairs, and in their determination it wasn't hard to climb over the barriers and onto the platform, but the fortune left them after this.

There was no train in the station, and before they could think about a different way to escape, they spotted officers in the crowd of passengers, slowly moving towards them from both ends of the platform. Breathing heavily, Olivia and Rafael looked at each other, realising that there was no way out of this situation.

Time seemed to stop for a moment when brown met green, the determination slowly dying in their eyes, replaced by defeat. She smiled sadly when Rafael kissed her softly, ignoring the officers.

"I don't regret this," he whispered against her lips; Lucia and Noah were out of town, safe and sound, and they'd made sure that none of their friends would become a target.

"Me neither. We did what we thought to be the right thing," she answered quietly, taking his other hand now too, and their contact did only break when the policemen tore them apart during the arrest.


	139. Apocalypse Now

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt - Catch-Up Week

 **Prompt:** caffeine

Apocalypse!AU

I hope you all enjoy this and are as amused by the idea as I am. I'm looking forward to your reviews!

* * *

 **Apocalypse Now**

"I want coffee."

Olivia couldn't keep herself from rolling her eyes as she heard Rafael complain yet again, and she bit her bottom lip so she wouldn't snap at him in front of Noah. They'd been wandering down the abandoned country road for hours now, hoping to find any kind of civilisation, and Rafael, who was trailing behind Noah and her, was obviously suffering of a serious caffeine deprivation.

"Why is there no Starbucks out here? An apocalypse is not an excuse for not selling coffee!"

His tone was whiny and to Liv, it sounded even worse than when Noah remarked that his feet were hurting, begging to be carried for a mile or two.

"A donut would be great, Papí," Noah said, looking over his shoulder, and she knew that they were exchanging smiles.

There was a reason why Olivia suppressed the urge to tell her husband to shut the fuck up – she knew that the thought of a vital part of their everyday life, of normality, kept him from losing his mind in this stressful situation. It wasn't easy at all to know that the world they'd known had been thrown upside down and that nothing would ever be as it had been, and while she was annoyed, it was indeed comforting to think of the little rituals that meant so much to them.

Olivia sighed inwardly before adding: "I want a mocha latte with hazelnut."

Rafael chuckled softly and suddenly caught up with them, wrapping his arm around Olivia's waist, and she thought about how lucky they were that they were still together.

Though, the lack of coffee probably would become a problem sooner or later.


	140. Worrying In Vain

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt - Catch-up Week

 **Prompt:** gift

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **Worrying In Vain**

When Olivia had told him that she would have to bring Noah with her to their trial-prep as Lucy had a doctor's appointment, Rafael honestly had felt panic. Even though he'd gotten more comfortable around the little boy due to the evenings he'd spent at the Benson's place, working with Olivia after she'd put Noah to bed, he still felt weird whenever the boy gave him attention. Noah didn't seem to care about his tentativeness when they interacted, and this comfortableness around him was what made Rafael squirm.

He was scared of doing something wrong so he would lose the sympathy Noah obviously felt towards him and that he would get a problem with Liv in the same moment. Rafael thought that, looking at his very little experience with children, an event of this kind was very likely to occur, and so he'd sent out Carmen to buy Noah's favourite cookies and also get a colouring book and the very expensive crayons Noah had shown him in a catalogue.

When the door opened an hour later his heart stopped for a second, but then a little whirlwind ran around his desk and stopped in front of him, big brown eyes sparkling up at him. "Rafa, I made you a gift!"

He held a few pieces of paper towards him, every single one of them filled with colourful patterns except for the last one, which showed three stick-figures, one of them unmistakably holding a briefcase and wearing a tie.

"This is Mama, you, and me! And the others are ideas for your ties, Rafa!" Noah explained in excitement, his obvious pride about his work making Rafael smile, and he'd already forgotten about his earlier nervosity.


	141. The Definition Of Perfection

I was thinking of some autumn prompts and how I could connect them to the current situation on SVU - this is what came out (and totally should happen)

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions! (And maybe more autumn prompts if you're feeling creative)

* * *

 **The Definition Of Perfection**

Most people wouldn't call their first kiss perfect, as many things didn't seem quite right about it.

While Central Park in autumn definitely was a scenery that one could consider romantic with its colourful leaves, they were sitting on a bench by a playground, shivering slightly in the cool breeze while the screams of children playing catch filled their ears. Also, there were tears on Olivia's cheeks, a reminder of the situation she was battling against; the child abuse accusations against her were still hanging over her like a dark cloud, and they were also the reason he was sitting by her side in the first place, hoping to give her back some strength.

The tears tasted salty against her lips, mingling with the traces of the hot chocolate with hazelnut flavour she'd drunk a moment ago, provided by him as some kind of comfort drink.

They both knew that it wasn't a good time to bring change into her life by finally acknowledging their feelings for each other, but then they didn't care. Maybe there wasn't a perfect timing for this, for them, as something always seemed to interfere when they thought that they'd finally found some peace in their life and could address what had been left unspoken between them. But yet another tragedy… the talk had been long overdue, and so they'd just taken the leap, not caring about the circumstances anymore.

So their first kiss tasted of hot chocolate and tears, joy and fear merging inside of them while the colourful leaves danced around them, blown up from the ground by the harsh wind whipping over the playground.

Most people wouldn't call their first kiss perfect, but to Olivia and him, it definitely was.


	142. Joyful

Inspired by the extended scene of Olivia and Noah watching cartoons and being silly. Seriously, I melted (find it on the SVU facebook page and squeal)

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **Joyful**

Olivia and Noah's laughter continued to fill the room as they cuddled closer, Noah lying his head on his mother's shoulder with a content smile, forgetting about his cartoon momentarily. Holding her son close, Olivia relished in how light she felt in this moment, not a worry dampening the mood, and their smiles didn't even falter when they heard someone clearing their throat behind them.

"I'm off to take a shower for a few minutes and you two start a food fight," Rafael said while shaking his head, hands on his hips and his face contorted as he fought against a smirk, ruining the effect of the scolding – though not serious – tone in his voice.

"Mommy started!" Noah exclaimed, watching Rafael round the couch. "She's silly, like my cartoon."

Running his hand through his still damp hair, Rafael looked at the carefree smile on Olivia's face, the happy gleam in her brown eyes, and he felt thankful that he was able to witness this moment. And he was even more thankful that she hadn't lost her ability to laugh, showing him that she was fighting and knew where she could fill up her strength again.

"Yes, amigo, your mommy is very silly indeed," he agreed after savouring the sight, sitting down next to Noah, who started giggling in delight. Olivia's smile grew mischievous, like it had been earlier, and before Rafael could react, she'd scooped some of the ice cream off her nose and onto her finger, smearing some onto Rafael's cheek. Noah was almost rolling off the couch in laughter and Rafael shook his head with a chuckle. "Very silly, Liv. I'll have my revenge one day."


	143. Emerging From The Dark

A continuation of drabble 136. One Moment Of Hesitation

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions! Also, if you happen to have an idea for an AU you'd like to see, don't hesitate to tell me! :)

Assassin!AU

* * *

 **Emerging From The Dark**

His apartment was dark as expected when he came home, half-drawn blinds keeping the light of the city from streaming in, just like they'd done with the sunlight over the day. Rafael Barba moved through the darkness with the security one could only have in their home, avoiding the furniture with practiced steps while he loosened his tie and shrugged off his suit jacket on his way over to the kitchen. A cool scotch was on his mind while his fingers worked on the buttons of his waistcoat, but then he suddenly stopped in the middle of the living room, an unfamiliar feeling creeping up his back.

Something was out of the ordinary.

His gaze wandered over the faint outlines of his furniture while his blood seemed to rush in his ears and it was impossible to pick something up over the sound of his own breathing. He could sense a presence in the room and the little hairs in the nape of his neck raised while he tried to calculate his next steps.

"You're harder to kill than I thought, Mr Barba."

The smooth, calm voice came from the direction of his favourite armchair and he whipped around, his knee hitting a side table as his heart pounded hard in his chest; in the same second, the light of the lamp next to the armchair was switched on, flooding the room with dim light and yet blinding him momentarily.

When his eyes finally adapted to the changed lighting, he stared at the woman sitting in his armchair, frozen into place by fear, but even in this situation he couldn't help but think that she was beautiful. Especially her brown eyes were intriguing, a mysterious gleam in them hinting for a soul that had seen so much. He inwardly slapped himself and cursed when he broke out of his daze to spot the gun she was holding casually in her right hand, finger near the trigger. Since when did a beautiful face manage to distract him from important details? Also he hated how pathetic he sounded when his sharp tongue left him hanging and he could only stutter out: "What… what are you doing here? Who are you?"

"You've made yourself many enemies, Mr Barba. They sent me to get you out of the way. I would have thought that that's obvious," the woman replied with a small smirk, nodding towards her gun. If he was honest with himself, Rafael wasn't exactly surprised about this – he'd pissed off loads of powerful people, and he remembered every single one of them. All of them were wealthy and cunning enough to plan his assassination.

"It was the right thing to do, they deserved it. If I have to die for that, then be it so. Do it," he heard himself saying – well, there was the sharp tongue again. Sometimes he really didn't think about his words closely enough; in his childhood, that had resulted in quite a few bruises. It felt like irony that his tongue would get him killed now.

However, the woman didn't make a move to raise her gun at him; it kept resting casually on the armrest of the chair she was seated in, as if it was a mere prop. And for a second, the faint shadows on her face seemed to betray her, showing a flicker of insecurity, surprise… obviously she hadn't expected him to be so cunning – or foolish – and Rafael had the suspicion that she wasn't sure what to do. He had no doubt that she should have shot him already, the moment he came into the living room, probably. Weren't professional killers supposed to do their jobs quickly and discreetly to disappear like ghosts afterwards? It was irritating and mildly fascinating at once.

"So… why haven't you pulled the trigger yet? Isn't it a risk to play with your food, so to speak?" Rafael asked with all his confidence assembled, raising his eyebrow at her, and couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction when she looked utterly confused for a moment before she pulled herself together again.

"If I had wanted to kill you you would be cold by now, Mr Barba."

"Why are you still here, then?"

He was puzzled by her behaviour – a killer who didn't want to kill? – but found himself curious about her reasons too, so he shot her an expectant look, causing her to smirk. Her brown eyes sparkled and he felt a warm tingle rush down his spine when their gazes met.

"I want to propose a deal. I'm sure you want to find out who wants to kill you and get them out of the way with your methods, Counselor. I could help you with that."


	144. Teasing Family

Credit to my Canadian, barsonaddict, who found a very important piece of clothing in the following drabble and showed it to me XD

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **Teasing Family**

"Where is she?" Lucia complained, peering through the windows of the living room and down onto the street with an annoyed expression, causing Rafael to roll his eyes. "She's doing this on purpose!"

"Mamí, relax. Noah, why don't you tell Abuela about your baseball practice?"

Noah, who'd been occupied playing with a puzzle, looked up with a big grin. "The coach said I'm good at catching! And when I beat the ball it flies soooo far!"

Lucia smiled warmly, her anger momentarily forgotten. "Oh, that sounds wonderful, mijo. Maybe one day you'll become a Yankee. Olivia, darling, do you need a hand with the salad?"

"No, you're our guest, relax," Olivia replied with a smile, chopping up some more ingredients, and Lucia waved dismissively.

"Guest, quita! We're family, if you need help I'll help! Also this dinner was my idea, no?"

"I'll do it, Mamí. You drink your wine and let others do the work for once," Rafael said and Lucia patted her son's cheek affectionately before he went to join Olivia in the kitchen, the couple exchanging short but sweet kisses.

"You're such a good boy, Rafi."

A moment later they heard how the front door was being unlocked; Noah jumped to his feet and hugged the woman that entered the living room a moment later. "Hey pequeñajo!" Fia said with a smile, dropping a kiss on the boy's head while dropping her bag on the ground and ignoring her aunt's disapproving glare. "Did you make a homerun?"

"Almost!"

Rafael and Olivia gave their best not to chuckle out loud while Fia moved to give her aunt a kiss on the cheek; Rafael managed to sound conversationally as he asked: "New top, Fia?"

"Yeah, you like it?" Fia asked with a mischievous smirk, shamelessly showing off the grey top with the words ' _Sorry I'm late, I didn't want to come_ ' printed on it; Lucia had a sour look on her face as she shook her head about her son and niece exchanging smirks.


	145. Sick Days

It's been too long. A lot of work and exhaustion kept me from writing, now I'm sick and maybe I'll get some writing done, who knows^^

Until then, take this. I hope it makes some sense XD

* * *

 **Sick Days**

"Papí!"

"Rafa!"

Rafael grumbled Spanish curses under his breath while standing up from the chair that he'd just seated himself on. And there he'd thought that Noah was content with his movie and Olivia had finally fallen asleep, allowing him to finally get some of the paperwork done that he'd taken home.

It wasn't like he didn't like taking care of Olivia and Noah, but it felt like they weren't able to rest for more than five minutes before one of them came up with a demand. He doubted that he was as bad as they were if he had to surrender to a bug… Even though his mother of course claimed otherwise, jokingly.

Well, half-jokingly.

Not really…

Were they trying to have a revenge?

Approaching Noah's room, he shook his head. Olivia and Noah could be cheeky, teaming up to prank him, but he couldn't see them doing something like this while they were both ill.

"What's wrong, mijo?" he asked softly as he opened Noah's door, smiling at his boy who was cuddled into his Yankees blanket, clutching his stuffed penguin while Cinderella was running away from the ball on the screen of Rafael's tablet.

"Can I have cookies?"

Noah gave him his best puppy dog eyes, trying to make him forget that he'd had a few cookies just after lunch and for a second, Rafael really felt himself softening inside. The boy had a bad bronchitis, had to take yucky medicine, surely a cookie wouldn't be wrong. A spoonful of sugar...

"Rafael, you really gotta learn how to resist him," he suddenly heard his girlfriend croak behind him.

"And you should learn how to listen to doctor's orders! Get back into bed, Lieutenant!"

Olivia shot him a glare, still looking intimidating even though she was in her pyjamas, a blanket wrapped around herself, her face pale and her hair ruffled. However, suddenly her expression turned cheeky and she smirked at him, a little bit of colour returning to her face, making her brown eyes sparkle. "Or what, Counselor?"

"You really wanna play this game, Livy? You seriously think I won't take drastic measures just because you're sick?"

"I doubt you would." It was obvious to him that she was challenging him because she was dead bored, Fin having refused to bring over some of her own paperwork, and she was searching for something to occupy her.

"Mi amor, you forget that you were exhausted this morning from taking a shower. You wouldn't last a minute, so just go back to bed," he said with his courtroom voice, staring her down almost like a Grand Jury, and Olivia frowned adorably as she realised her miscalculations.

"You're sexy when you're bossy, Rafi."

"Bed. Now."

Olivia's promise for revenge was swallowed by a cough attack and she quickly disappeared into their bedroom again, leaving Rafael to deal with Noah's puppy dog eyes again.

While getting the cookie jar, he desperately hoped that soon everything would be back to normal.


	146. Mama Hero

Sooo, I saw pictures on Instagram of Ryan (Noah) wearing a police costume and one of it was a selfie with Mariska. Now that I finally stopped squealing about the picture and her hashtags, I can write this XD

I hope you all enjoy this, I'm looking forward to your opinions! :)

* * *

 **Mama Hero**

"Okay Noah, time for bed!" Liv said with a fond smile, chuckling when Noah, who was playing with his newest Lego sitting on the floor in his pyjamas, looked up and pouted. Rafael, who was unpacking the files they needed to work on and placed them on the coffee table, sincerely asked himself how she was able to resist those puppy dog eyes.

"Five minutes, Mama! Please!"

Shaking her head, Olivia kneeled down next to him, ruffling his adorable curls. "I already gave you five more minutes, baby. Come on, you can play with it tomorrow afternoon. You need to sleep so you're fit for school and Rafael and I need to work a bit."

Releasing an almost dramatic sigh, Noah surrendered to his fate and carefully packed his new, precious toy into his toy box. "Say goodnight to Rafael."

"Night Rafa," Noah replied, waving lightly at the ADA who smiled and waved back.

"Buenos noches, amigo."

Noah skipped ahead of Olivia to his room, hopping on his bed when she entered, turning towards his bookshelf. "What bedtime story do you want tonight?"

"No book, Mama!" Noah shook his head while slipping under his blankets with his favourite stuffed toy, causing Olivia to throw her son a puzzled glance. "Tell me about how you caught a bad guy! My friends at school say cops are cool, and I want to tell them how cool you are!"

"Oh."

Olivia felt a mix of feelings rise inside her together with a tiny blush – this was the first time Noah voiced interest in her work in this way. It soothed her to know that he didn't see her work as a burden, as the bad thing keeping his mum away from him far too often… but then his request presented her with a big issue. Those stories, they weren't for kids at all, and there rarely were the heroes in it that Noah was obviously hoping for.

She slowly moved over to Noah's bed, sitting down on the edge and making sure he was tucked in properly to buy herself time. Suddenly, she remembered a story from her early days on the force, when she'd still been a patrol officer. "Well… how about I tell you about the time I climbed into a tree to get a cat down?"

OoO

When she returned to the living room, she was still smiling, her cheeks glowing, and Rafael noticed immediately, raising an eyebrow at her.

"He… he thinks I'm a hero. He just listened with gleaming eyes how thirty years I almost broke my neck climbing into a tree to rescue a cat."

She sat down next to him slowly and Rafael chuckled. "Why so much disbelief, Liv? You _are_ a hero. Also, that must have been a damn lucky cat."

Olivia laughed lightly, shaking her head about him before turning towards the files, though deep inside, she was pondering which other stories she would be able to tell Noah.


	147. Little Tricks

A continuation of 146 - "Mama Hero".

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions! :)

* * *

 **Little Tricks**

Rafael smiled to himself as he turned the page of the book he was reading as he heard the loud noises of Noah's and Jesse's play from his son's room. With the two friends occupied playing with Liv's old Detective badge – Noah had begged his mother for it since the day she showed it to him – Rafael had some time for himself. It was rather rare that he got to read a book, with work and family occupying most of his time, but he didn't mind.

However, he was too engrossed into his book to notice after some time how the voices got louder at first and then suddenly died down. A minute later, though, he looked up as he felt someone tugging on his sleeve.

Upon lowering his book, he saw Jesse staring at him with her big blue eyes, looking quite upset. "Rafa… Noah is mean!"

"What? What happened, Jess?"

He gently pulled the little girl on his lap after putting his book to the side; for a moment, he mourned his alone time but he had important matters at hand now. Jesse bit her bottom lip, then explained: "Noah and I play, but he never lets me be the cop! He says I gotta play the bad one but I wanna be cop too!"

Rafael sighed inwardly and nodded. "You're right, that's mean. Come on, let's talk with Noah, okay? If something bothers you you have to talk to the person involved, so they know what's wrong."

"Okay." He lifted her off his lap and she slipped her tiny hand into his while they walked to Noah's room together.

Rafael had always felt like he'd improved a lot concerning the way he interacted with the children, but only a little later, when he was chased through the living room by two small cops, he wondered when they'd become capable of tricking him.


	148. Wake Up Kisses

A prompt found on Tumblr.

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback!

* * *

 **Wake Up Kisses**

Waking up was something that Olivia didn't have problems with; thirty years as an NYPD officer had taught her to be able to sleep when she could and wake up when she had to, no matter what time of day. She was used to being woken harshly by her alarm or her ringing phone, and since adopting Noah, screaming or the little boy hopping into her bed demanding cuddles at six a.m. on a Sunday had been added to the list of things that would take sleep from her.

Sleeping in hadn't happened to her for a very long time.

Thus it was utter bliss to slowly slip from the light slumber she'd been in, a content sigh leaving her lips when she cuddled deeper into the warmth of her blankets, knowing that she didn't have to be anywhere today. She could hear the ocean rushing in the background, a sound that had lulled her into sleep last evening and now allowed her to relax further.

Two arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her into the warm body lying behind her, and she smiled to herself when gentle kisses were pressed to her neck.

"Morning, mi amor," Rafael's husky voice whispered into her ear and she made a noise of approval when his lips continued to glide over her skin.

Keeping her eyes closed, Olivia leaned into Rafael further, enjoying the thought of not having to get up anytime soon.

Waking up like this was a luxury that she would indulge in for once.


	149. Unexpected Sights

It's all barsonaddict's fault for having funny ideas in her reviews ^^

Add-on to 147 "Little Tricks"

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback!

* * *

 **Unexpected Sights**

"Now, that's an interesting picture," Liv said with a smirk, her eyes gliding over the scene that was unfolding in front of her when she entered the living room. After a long day at work she'd been looking forward to coming home where Rafael, who was on vacation, was watching over Noah and Jesse. In the morning she'd given Noah her old Detective badge and had expected to be stopped for questioning the moment she came through the door, but well… this was infinitely better.

Definitely.

"No need to be so damn smug, Lieutenant," Rafael grumbled while glaring at her, trying to preserve as much of his dignity as possible. "I'm always giving a hundred percent."

Liv chuckled while Noah and Jesse looked up at her proudly and Noah exclaimed: "Jesse and I caught the bad guy! And then we cuffed him so he can't run away."

"I see, baby. Very good work, you two. You're my new junior Detectives from now on."

Jesse and Noah exchanged excited glances and even Rafael managed a soft smile despite his current situation; Olivia assumed that it wasn't exactly comfortable to be laying on the couch on his stomach with his arms cuffed behind his back, but well, she certainly enjoyed this.

"Mama, can we have pizza now? Being Detective is hard, we're hungry!"

Jesse nodded while poking Rafael's arm as if to make sure he still couldn't move. "Very hungry."

"Why don't you two go get the menu from Luigi's while I have a word with our suspect, hm?" Liv suggested and her smirk widened when the two kids ran towards the kitchen. Kneeling down next to Rafael, Liv didn't bother to hide it, though. Rafael sighed and gave her a pleading look.

"Can you stop enjoying this so much and open them? It starts to hurt."

Olivia made a show of tapping her chin, her brown eyes sparkling in amusement. "No, you called this onto yourself when you gave them my old handcuffs. Now you're in my hands. And I have to say that I like this sight."

He gulped hard at the implication and sighed. "I only wanted them to have fun while playing. I didn't think they would really cuff me."

"Expect the unexpectable, Rafael. Oh, you still have so much to learn," Olivia said with a laugh, her fingers gliding over Rafael's wrist teasingly; on the inside, she was squealing about how adorable he was with the kids. "Okay, I'll get the keys. Under one condition."

Rafael raised an eyebrow at her and Olivia leaned in so she could whisper into his ear. "Let me do this to you next weekend when Noah is at Lucia's."

"You know how to cut deals," Rafael murmured back and they exchanged smirks before Olivia stood up to get the keys and also stop Jesse and Noah's fight about which pizza was the best.


	150. Family Squabbling

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt

 **Prompt:** leaves

I couldn't keep myself from using my in-denial headcanon on Mike. He's not dead. Fight me.

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions! :)

* * *

 **Family Squabbling**

Olivia smiled when she entered the living room, putting down her bag, and spotted Noah on the ground, drawing while humming to the intro melody of the Spanish soap opera Lucia loved to watch and now used to improve the Spanish Rafael had taught Noah already. It was the sight she'd been looking forward to all day; since Mike Dodds had been shot by Munson and the mood in the squad was on a permanent low. Everyone was worried about the coma he'd been in for two weeks now already, which made it hard to shoulder the extra work they had with one officer less.

Coming home and seeing her boy, his happy smile, and listen to his carefree babbling was making her forget the dark cloud looming above them for some time. "Hey baby, how was your day? Oh, this is a beautiful picture."

She kneeled down and dropped a kiss on Noah's hair, inspecting his artwork with a fond smile.

"It was great. Abuela and Fia took me to the park and after the playground we searched for the most beautiful leaves and took them home. Abuela put them in the big magazines she always annoys Fia with to dry them. And then Fia and I built a blanket fort."

"Wow, that sounds like a lot of fun," she said, feeling a little bit of envy as she eyed the impressive blanket fort on the other side of the room. Hopefully there wouldn't be any work for her the weekend; she felt the need to be infected by her son's innocence once again.

"It was. I gonna make a picture for Papí's office with them."

"I'm sure he'll love it. Now, where's Abuela?"

Noah smiled, abandoning his crayons before climbing onto his mother's lap. "She's in the kitchen, cooking empanadas."

Olivia's stomach growled at the mention of the dish that no one could cook better than Lucia Barba and her mouth actually watered. "And Fia?"

"Abuela put her in time-out because she was being cheeky. She said something isn't going right in Abuela's head when Abuela asked a man if he wants to go out with Fia," Noah explained with a small giggle, pointing at the blanket fort. "And when she used bad words Abuela told her to go in there until dinner. They're funny, Mama."

"I refuse to let her treat me like my ovaries will die once I turn thirty," Fia said from inside the blanket fort and Olivia could imagine the stubborn expression on the young woman's face vividly, as it was so similar to the Rafael had when he was unwilling to back down.

The only reason why Fia was obeying to Lucia was that she – and Rafael, too – was also still intimidated by her.

"Delfia, you're not getting any younger! You gotta find a nice man to marry before it's too late!" Lucia exclaimed from the kitchen, but nobody was truly listening to her – they already knew her monologues about Fia's relation to committed relationships by heart.

Olivia released a little sigh, feeling some of the tension leave her body. Coming home really was what she'd needed, and if Rafael came home early enough before their bedtime to provide cuddles, everything would be alright for a few blissful hours.


	151. Ice Cream Kisses

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt

 **Prompt:** leaves

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback!

* * *

 **Ice Cream Kisses**

"I can't believe we're eating ice cream outside, in November," Rafael said with a light chuckle as he finished off the first one of his two scoops of chocolate ice cream, glancing over to where Noah was shuffling through the thick layer of colourful leaves that were covering the path. The little boy had seemingly forgotten about his sweet treat, too occupied with his little game to care about the thin trail of melted ice cream running down the side of his cone and trickling onto his fingers. A happy smile was making his eyes gleam and Rafael didn't have the heart to rip Noah from this carefree moment.

"The things we make you do," Olivia replied softly, teasingly, winking at him and shifted impossibly closer on the bench – the ice cream was causing cool shivers to rush through her. "And even though we're freezing our asses off out here, you do love it."

"That I do," he murmured with a smirk, leaning in to kiss her, both their lips so sticky from the ice cream that Olivia started giggling under her breath.

But at least the proximity to the man she loved was warming her wonderfully.


	152. A Little Boy's Dream

A somewhat tie-in with 146 "Mama Hero" and 147 "Little Tricks", as this is still inspired by the photos of Mariska and Ryan where Ryan wears his police uniform. Also, Mariska's hashtags caused this mostly XD

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions!

* * *

 **A Little Boy's Dream**

"Congratulations, Class of 2037!"

Everyone in the large room erupted into cheers and the young officers on the stage could barely stop smiling as they saw their families, the pride rolling through the room in waves that everyone could feel. Olivia wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as she saw Noah gazing into their direction and Rafael slung his arm around his wife, sniffing slightly as well. It seemed like yesterday when they took him trick or treating in his police costume, and now their son was all grown up.

The new NYPD officers left the stage to join their families and as Noah walked towards the huge group belonging to him – everyone close to them had insisted to come for his big day – he had a sheepish grin on his handsome face, as if he couldn't believe some of the big fuss was because of him. Jesse was the first to separate from the group, storming towards him and hugging her best friend tightly; Amanda and Liv exchanged knowing glances at the way the two seemed in their own world for a moment.

"And you said you think you failed an exam? Top of the class, you damn liar," Jesse laughed into his shoulder and Noah couldn't hide his blush. "Well done, Officer Benson."

"Thank you, Jess."

It seemed like an eternity until they separated and still Jesse stayed close while Noah hugged his parents. "We're so proud of you, No."

"Thanks, mum. Papí."

"I guess New York can't live without a Benson on the streets," Rafael joked as he held his son close for a moment. When Noah had told them that he wanted to step into his mother's footsteps and join the NYPD, they'd been close to asking him not to, knowing how demanding the job could be, but in the end, they'd decided against it.

It had been Noah's dream since he'd been a small boy, and they didn't want to hold him back; so they let him choose his path, supporting him with every step.


	153. The Great Unknown

Inspired by below song of the magnificent Mighty Oaks.

I hope you all enjoy it, definitely listen to the song, and I'm looking forward to what you think about the fic :)

* * *

 **The Great Unknown**

* * *

 _I won't let go of you now_

 _'Cause I'm terrified that I will let you down_

 _And I've got to know, will I be good enough?_

 _Will I be there to stand you up?_

 _Will I do things the right way?_

 _Will I spend my days afraid?_

The Great Unknown - Mighty Oaks

It had always been Rafael's great strength that he was smart, a quick thinker who was able to process information and use it to his advantage within shorter time than others, a trait that had been more than useful to him during his career. Thinking things through thoroughly had brought him many a victory in court and saved him from all kinds of situations – often involving his mother and thin ice he'd stepped on involuntarily – in his private life.

However, right now he felt like it was a curse as he couldn't get his mind to shut down and stop pondering. All the what if's were swirling in his head as he stared into space, sitting behind his desk, only an hour away from a date with Olivia. It probably was their sixteenth or seventeenth, he didn't know, he'd lost count when his head had been swimming with happiness.

Right now, though, it was spinning in anxiety. Definitely less pleasing.

The chaos in his ever-active mind had been caused by the thought that after dating for so long, it was time to give their relationship a name. He knew that he loved Olivia, even though they hadn't said the words so far, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and Noah, whom he adored.

But the thought of asking her to officially be his girlfriend, though it was founded on strong feelings, had triggered old doubts, ones he'd thought he'd managed to bury deep inside of him. Obviously, he hadn't overcome them completely, as they'd resurfaced fast and all of a sudden. And now, they were causing him to overthink everything.

Was he really the right one for Olivia? Would he manage being a father for Noah?

What if he did something wrong? He didn't want to bring Olivia more pain, and he didn't want to be another negative impact on Noah's life.

He was ready to try hard and do everything he could to make it work – and he'd already learned and improved so much, especially with Noah – but now he wondered if it would be enough.

And Rafael was not ashamed to admit that he was afraid; the scenarios his mind made up didn't make it any better…

But then, he hadn't known if it was a good idea when he'd finally dared to ask Olivia out. It could have been a disaster, it could have altered their friendship and their professional relationship completely…

Yet it all went well.

A small smile lifted the corners of his mouth and he straightened a little in his chair. Maybe taking another step into the unknown wasn't as terrifying as his mind tried to tell him. He would do it, even though the thought made him feel nervous and tingly.

Later that evening, all his doubts were wiped away within a second when Olivia smiled at him, her brown eyes gleaming with joy while she agreed to be his girlfriend.

Maybe it was a step into the unknown, into foreign territory, but he knew that it would be a mistake not to take it. He just knew that good way awaiting him there.

 _I found my love in the great unknown_


	154. Emergencies

Wow, it's been some time. I'm sorry for that, but RL was busy and I had a deadline for a competition last weekend, but maybe I'll manage to pre-write some drabbles for the next week :)

Here we go, some drama to have a balance from all the fluff^^

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback!

* * *

 **Emergencies**

Her badge had opened many a doors for Olivia and while it could be a burden too, today she was really glad she was wearing it. "NYPD, this is an emergency, step back please!" she exclaimed authoritatively while pushing her way through the crowd, waving her badge so everyone could see it clearly. This was a life or death matter, she didn't have much time anymore, and she just couldn't waste energy on listening to the complaints that arose naturally from some people. New Yorkers could see everything, even an official duty action to save a life as an inconvenience.

But she simply ignored them, striding forwards as quickly as it was possible, knowing she was close to fulfilling her mission, and yet the worried voice in the back of her head urged her to move a little faster still.

Finally she reached the end of the ridiculously big crowd and made eye-contact with the person who would help her save the day in a few minutes, passing the urgency of the situation on to them with a pointed glance. Behind her she could hear a pathetic whimper that almost sounded pained; they'd obviously made it just in time. Not willing to let anything stop her at this point, she raised her badge once more and said: "NYPD business, I need you to listen to me now and follow my orders exactly."

Wide, scared eyes told her that she had the person's full attention as she continued: "A tall, extra strong black with a bit of cream and sugar. Oh, and a triple chocolate muffin. Quick!"

The barista sprung into action and Liv could hear Rafael release a breath behind her, then she felt his forehead falling against her shoulder. It was almost ridiculous how extreme his reactions were to a low caffeine level, and some people probably thought that they were being overly dramatic, but she thought that these extreme measures were justified – Rafael whining hit her almost as hard as Noah crying.


	155. The Power Of Wishes

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr

 **Prompt:** snowman

* * *

 **The Power Of Wishes**

Rafael could barely keep himself from tapping his foot on the floor impatiently, barely able to pay attention to the meeting he was stuck in, together with the other ADAs of the Sex Crimes Bureau. From time to time, his hand subtly slipped into the pocket of his trousers to pull out his phone, checking his messages under the table. The meeting had been long and boring since the start and it had been going on for an hour already, ruining his plans for the day.

A message arrived and he inwardly sighed as he opened it, seeing the picture Olivia had sent him – a selfie of Noah, her and a snowman they'd built together. With a heavy heart, his gaze drifted over to the window; thick snowflakes were floating past and he could see some snow-covered treetops, signaling that it had to be the winter wonderland outside that Noah had been hoping for since November. He wanted to be out in the park with Olivia and Noah, building that snowman and making snow angels, maybe even start a snowball fight – he once again realised how much they'd changed him – but here he was, stuck in a boring, truly pointless meeting.

Originally, he'd wanted to get some paperwork done and then call it a day before lunchtime to meet Olivia and Noah for pizza and then accompany them to the park. He'd already been ready to leave when the email from the DA had arrived, summoning everyone to the conference room.

A few months ago, it wouldn't have bothered him much, nobody had been waiting for him at home anyway… But today, it annoyed him endlessly and he had lost track of the many times he'd shot his boss hidden glares, hoping that he would finally finish his monologue. Rafael could imagine the pout on Noah's face all too well and he closed his eyes for a moment, sending out a wish that it would continue to snow so he would be able to take Noah to the park and build another snowman with him.

OoO

A few hours later, he was finally home, cuddled on the couch with Noah. The news were on in the background but Rafael was too focused on Noah and his story about the snowman to pay attention to what was being said on TV – until the weather report came on.

 _"Arctic air will bring a snowstorm to New York City, all citizens are advised to…"_

"Damn."


	156. Best Lawyer Inc

A little follow up to 19x8 - Intent

As overall shocking and dramatic as this episode was, I couldn't help but laugh my ass off at this scene. It was just too hilarious, I loved it to no end, and of course it got my mind rolling.

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback!

* * *

 _"(...) you already know I'm good."_

 _"Excuse me, how did she know that?"_

 _"He was on the internet under the best lawyers in New York."_

 **Best Lawyer Inc**

If the situation hadn't been so serious, so shocking and disgusting, then Olivia probably would have laughed. The naivety of this young woman, the thought that someone who wrote 'The best lawyer in New York' on his website had to be actually that… if it hadn't been for the context, she would have cried tears of laughter right there, in the interrogation room. And if she was honest, she was a little disappointed that Rafael had stayed completely cool, too – she'd hoped for some snide remarks towards that ridiculous lawyer.

Over the case, she forgot about that a little, but when she sat at Forlini's with Rafael the evening after the jury had went into session, she couldn't help but bring it up, especially since Rita had joined them for drinks.

"He seriously wrote that on his website?" Rita asked, voice quivering with exasperation, and she sat up a little straighter.

"Yeah, he did. And he seriously believed that," Rafael answered with a snort, taking a sip of his scotch. "But it was all empty words, obviously."

"How dare he! I'll sue his ass!"

Olivia and Rafael glanced at her at this sudden, sharp remark and Rita nodded, downing the rest of her martini. "Yes, I'll show him who's the best lawyer in this fucking town!"

A mischievous smirk came onto Rafael's lips and before Olivia could elbow him, he said teasingly: "Don't worry, Rita, I already showed him."

"You're an ass."

"I know. But it's fun."

He only grinned about Rita's nasty glare – this simply was their little playful competition thing – and she rolled her eyes, placing a few bills on the bar. "I'm too tired to be able to tolerate your little ego trip tonight. See you at lunch tomorrow, Olivia. Be careful that you still have enough space in your bed with his giant ego."

Olivia waved at her with a small smile and the moment Rita had left, Rafael leaned to her and whispered into her ear suggestively: "You like my big… ego. I know it."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't help chuckling under her breath. He simply liked to play sometimes, they all knew, and they could handle that. "Don't be so overly convinced of yourself, Barba. Now, you better take care your best friend doesn't ridicule herself by seriously starting a lawsuit against that idiot, she seemed rather serious. After that you can try if I'll let your ego into bed."

Rafael sighed, sliding off his barstool. "I guess you're right, mi amor. She's capable of doing weird things in this state. And I have enough blackmail material against her, so I can prevent this without regrets. Though it would definitely be amusing to witness her taking this guy apart..."

He rubbed his chin, pondering, and earned himself a glare from Olivia. "Rafael, go now. And I'm always right."

"Well, not always…"

"Go," she ordered and Rafael kissed her dutifully before shrugging his suit jacket on and following Rita outside. Olivia gazed after him with a smirk – yes, he was an idiot sometimes, and a dork.

But he was her idiot lawyer dork.


	157. Mounting Joy

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr

 **Prompt:** resolutions

I hope y'all enjoy it!

* * *

 **Mounting Joy  
**

Two glasses of wine clinked together softly, the sound mixing with carefree, amused chuckles.

"I like your New Year's resolution to take me out on more dates, Rafael," Olivia said happily a moment later, the fingers of their free hands lacing together while they drank the last sip of their wine. The bill was already paid and they were the last guests in the small, Italian restaurant, but nobody had asked them to hurry to leave, and so they didn't rush to get ready to go home. Their evening was just too pleasant, they wished it didn't have to end yet.

"It's the first resolution in my life that I fulfilled," Rafael replied with a charming smile, raising her hand to kiss her knuckles gently, then his gaze fell on the delicate diamond ring on her finger. "I still can't believe you agreed to marry me. I kind of expected you to decline because of my very clumsy and stuttered proposal and after I dropped the ring into the tiramisu."

Olivia chuckled at the memory while they stood up, wordlessly agreeing that it was time to go home. As Rafael got her jacket, she had a moment to gaze down at her ring, then she smiled at him with affection when he helped her slip the piece of clothing on. "The waiter got it cleaned perfectly. And I liked that you improvised your words. The little accident made it even more adorable."

Rafael laughed under his breath and kissed her gently, unhurried, before getting dressed as well and taking her hand after leaving another generous tip next to the bill. The waiters wished them luck and happiness for their marriage once again as they walked out the door, and Olivia made a mental note that they could definitely put this one on their list of favourite restaurants.

As it was January, it was way too cold to walk home and thus have more alone time, but they didn't mind. On the ride to their apartment, Olivia cuddled into Rafael's side, her head on his shoulder, and closed her eyes for a moment, feeling like she needed a moment to slow down to make sure this sheer endless happiness she was feeling was real and not some beautiful dream that Noah would wake her from any minute.

They held hands entering their building and a mischievous expression came onto Rafael's face when they got onto the elevator.

"There's one thing I want to do before we are upstairs," he whispered huskily, and before she knew it he had pressed her into the wall of the elevator wall, gripping her hips possessively while kissing her so passionately that her knees felt weak. A moan escaped her and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him impossibly closer, her head spinning a little from the intensity of the feelings rushing through her.

This man… a kiss was enough to make her feel more alive than ever in her life.

Only a few moments later, he let go of her, though, as the elevator doors slowly opened, and she made a disappointed noise, still leaning against the elevator wall, her lips swollen a little. Rafael couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction, taking his fiancée's hand and pulling her with him. "Come on, I want to us to get into bed so we can continue this."

"Sounds like an amazing plan, Counselor," Olivia whispered into his ear huskily, pressing up against his back when he fiddled with the keys – revenge was sweet.

As quietly as possible, they got out of their jackets and shoes, surprised to see the living room empty, and tip-toed over to Noah's room. The light of his night light was shining through the slightly open door and Olivia opened it carefully, having to suppress a noise at the adorable sight.

Noah and Fia were crammed into Noah's small bed, all the stuffed animals that Noah owned surrounding them. They were sound asleep, Noah cuddled into Fia's shoulder, the young woman's head leaned against his, and she still loosely held one of the several books that were on the bed with them. Small, content smiles played around the corners of their lips and Rafael wrapped one arm around Olivia's waist, pulling her closer as they watched the two sleep, glad that the two were getting along so easily. When Rafael had introduced his younger cousin to Olivia and Noah he'd been nervous that the incident with Sheila Porter was still lingering in the back of the boy's mind. However, his worries had been unjustified, to his relief – Fia had shown great intuition with Noah and Olivia, and they'd both quickly gotten comfortable with her, a special bond building between Fia and Noah.

"I love how you influenced our lives, brought the right people in," Olivia whispered into his ear, her nose rubbing against his neck affectionately, and Rafael turned to peck a sweet kiss on her lips.

"I'm glad everything turned out so well. Come on, let them sleep. I want to cuddle you."

Olivia quietly closed the door to Noah's room and smirked at her fiance as they walked to their bedroom holding hands. "I thought you wanted to continue our little… discussion from the elevator?"

"Who says I can't do both? Everything to make you even happier, mi amor."


	158. Resolutions

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt

 **Prompt:** resolutions

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions! :)

* * *

 **Resolutions**

Rafael Barba huffed when his mother sent him one of those overly cheery, emoji-laden chain letters via text that only elder people seemed to find great, the post asking him to write down his New Year's resolutions before New Year's Eve and send the text to five friends so the resolutions would be crowned with success and every wish he had would come true. He'd told his mother a thousand times that he found these kinds of texts annoying, but as Lucia Barba rarely ever listened to other people's opinions, he would receive them anyway. Most of the time he simply ignored them, not even bothering to read more than the first lines. However, today something had caught his eye, and the words kept swirling around in his head as he put his phone down and leaned back in his chair.

Just imagine how much happiness you could find if you only had the courage to make the conversations that matter. Next year is the time for confessions.

It had been bolded, and he had the light suspicion that it was his mother's doing alone. The coincidence of such a fitting sentence for his denial being highlighted was just too convenient.

Several New Year's Eves had passed on which he hadn't faced the truth like he should have, and his mother knew about that better than anyone else. She'd been scolding him for suppressing his feelings for ages now, and it got to the point where he considered jumping over his own shadow just to get her out of his hair. Maybe she was right and it was time to make a resolution and stick to it, tell Olivia how he felt for her.

A soft knock on the door ripped him from his thoughts and he glanced up when the door opened a moment later, his face lighting up and his heart jumping when he saw Olivia smile at him.

"Hey there. Thought we could have some lunch together," she said, raising the hand holding a little bag from their favourite deli. "I assume that you haven't eaten yet."

"You were right. I'm too predictable," Rafael replied teasingly, standing up. The thought that they knew each other so well had scared him in the past, but right now it just made him feel warm on the inside. Seeing her was like coming home.

"Oh, and Noah asked me to deliver this."

She handed him a big piece of paper, Noah's clumsy letters spelling out "Us at the zoo" on the top, below there were many colourful animals and three figures labeled with "Me", "Mama" and "Rafa". He smiled and slipped it into his briefcase, planning to add it to the growing gallery of Noah's art in his study at home. "He spoils me. I can't wait for when it's spring and we can go to the zoo again. They're expecting a lion cub."

"He knows."

Olivia winked and they settled on the couch together with their sandwiches; in this moment, Rafael knew that he wanted more of this easy comfortableness. He had to make a resolution for the new year, and he knew that he would be able to fulfill it on the earliest opportunity when she invited him to the squad's New Year's Party.

Yes, he would finally take the leap and confess, that he promised to himself.


	159. Stay

So, I was feeling in the mood for taking prompt requests on Tumblr and this one is from untapdtreasure, I hope you enjoy it!

Prompt: "Give me a reason not to turn around and walk away now."

* * *

 **Stay  
**

Anger was boiling inside Olivia, shooting through her veins hot and thickly like lava, and she was close to losing her self-control as she pushed the door to Barba's office open, ignoring the poor Carmen completely. If her sudden entrance hadn't caught his attention, the way she banged the door shut definitely had and he raised an eyebrow before his face darkened upon the realisation who had just entered his office.

"Oh, just the person I wanted to have a talk with now!" he said in a sarcastic voice that spoke of suppressed anger, but Olivia was way too furious to pay attention to it, let alone ask herself why the hell he was pissed with her, when he was the one who'd done the unthinkable.

"When were you going to tell me?" she spit, stopping only inches away from his desk, and leaned forwards, slamming her palms on the polished surface. "When were you going to fucking tell me?"

Her aggressive confrontation caused him to stand up in an attempt to keep control of the situation, his green eyes gleaming in fury. "You're seriously asking me that when you're the one who kept big news from me? I had to hear it from the DA!"

The use of her last name stung more than she wanted to admit – when it was only the two of them, he always called her Olivia or Liv, and no matter which tone he used, she always knew that they were still friends and that they could talk about any issues. But this… it was so distant, almost cold, meant to hurt and almost resembled a punch in the face.

"You're blaming me? Dodds just told me you'll change offices, Barba. Dodds. I thought we were friends, that we could talk about everything. I even was naive enough to think that you would come to me before finalising such a huge decision!"

Her hands on her hips, she glared at him with such intensity that he almost took a step backwards – he was angry too, but he wasn't stupid enough to take a risk when it came to Olivia Benson. He'd once seen her take a suspect down and it had left a permanent impression that if she wanted, she could kick his ass into the next week.

"I thought the same, Benson. I'd always assumed that you would talk with me. Also, didn't you break up with Tucker because he wanted you to resign, saying you don't want to leave the job? And now you resign anyway? Excuse me, but I don't get the logic behind that."

"It's my decision!" Olivia exclaimed, though she knew that he was right – it did seem weird to suddenly change her mind, also because she was almost as much a workaholic as he was. "And you, you're leaving even though you said that working with SVU is the best job you've ever done. What about that?"

They continued to glare at each other, the tension between them so strong that it seemed as if one wrong move could trigger another shouting match – Rafael was convinced that everyone on the floor had heard them. But what did it matter now anyway?

He would be leaving soon, and if she resigned, he had even less reasons to stay. His mother would surely kill him for this decision, for running away from facing his feelings, so nothing really mattered now anyway. Leaving SVU behind hadn't been an easy decision, but he couldn't take it anymore. Maybe he was a coward, but he'd thought he would save their friendship. Now not even that would happen.

"That's life, people change jobs all the time, it's to get forward. Give me a reason not to turn around and walk away now. You're resigning, what does it matter?"

She froze, her brown eyes wide, and Rafael was more than aware of the slightly pleading tone in his voice. Gulping hard and slowly, she shifted from one foot onto the other, and it was obvious that her mind was racing – he could almost hear the wheels turning as she tried to find a way to answer. With every second that passed, the anger seemed to fade, her shoulders relaxing slightly, and sadness took over her expression. It was as if she'd remembered something important, and when she answered, her voice was incredibly quiet.

"I don't want you to leave."

Her gaze jumped down to her shoes, then to her hands, before she ultimately met his eyes. "I don't want you to leave. I… I resigned because I knew that… uhm… hell, Rafael, I knew that Dodds and the DA would never approve and if I resign then we can finally… I mean…"

A slightly shaky hand rose to run through her hair and she once again started to avoid his gaze, unsure what to do or say, and he gulped hard in shock as he slowly realised anyway what she was trying to tell him. It caused his heart to start jumping in excitement, and he felt the strange desire to pinch himself to make sure that this wasn't a dream. After the long moment it took him to process the information, a light smirk crept its way onto his face.

"So we can…," he prompted gently, taking a step closer, and placed two fingers under her chin to get her to look at him. Olivia gulped, slowly, tensely, taking a few deep breaths and noting how much closer they were now, a visible shiver rushing through her.

"So we can be together, you idiot."

Rafael's smirk widened and she rolled her eyes before grabbing him by his suspenders and pulling him in, their lips colliding in a kiss that they'd both been waiting for for years. It was intense, all the suppressed feelings breaking out at once, and she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer. His head was spinning and the feeling of her lips on his drove him crazy in all the good ways – if he hadn't been such a coward, he could have had this way earlier.

When they pulled back slightly, faces still incredibly close, he whispered with a breathless chuckle: "Maybe you should have told me that before actually quitting your job. Would have prevented this mess."

"Yeah, I guess I should have thought about this more thoroughly…"

Her cheeks were a little pink and Rafael pecked another soft kiss on her lips to show her that he wasn't mad with her. "I don't want you to quit your job because of me, Liv. I know you're thinking it's worth it and I'm flattered you think like that, but SVU needs you, and you love this job."

"But I don't want you to change offices either. Without you, we'll have no chance," she whispered, almost pouting, and he pushed a curl of her hair behind her ear. "And of course I would miss working with you."

"We'll find a way, Liv, I promise. Maybe we're lucky if we disclose our bosses won't be that harsh. But right now I just want to reassure myself that I'm not dreaming."

His optimism made her smile and she closed the tiny distance between their faces, kissing him slowly and sensually. "I'm sure I can help you with that."

"That's what I'd been hoping for, mi amor."


	160. In Times Of Trouble

Prompt by svu-stories-personal: What if Sheila refused to take a plea deal for Noah's kidnapping and Barba comforts Olivia and Noah as it becomes time for trial?

I hope you like what I did with this one :)

* * *

 **In Times Of Trouble**

Rafael had to admit that for some time, it truly seemed like Olivia would hold it together, like she'd claimed she would. She'd worked a little less to spend time with Noah, and he'd accompanied them to the ice rink once, had dinner with them as often as he could. Gone were the dark rings under her eyes, the barely concealed red eyes, the constant tension in her shoulders that had been proof of the toll that the thought of her son's abduction being taken to trial had taken on her.

To him, she appeared to be surprisingly balanced, and it had soothed his own nervosity regarding the upcoming trial; he hated that he couldn't prosecute himself, knew exactly that he had to stay away from the case, but he just couldn't do nothing. He must have driven his fellow ADA crazy with his "just checking in if everything's going well" behaviour and the promise – or threat, depending on the perspective – to be there on every day of the trial.

Maybe he'd put a little bit too much trust into her calmness, depended on it… he really should have known better.

The moment she called, the evening before the opening day of the trial, voice thick and pressed as she asked him if he was busy, he wanted to slap himself. Had he failed her? Had he not seen the fear in her eyes, masked by a laugh, chipped lips from chewing on them in worry, concealed by a smile? He was her best friend, he should notice such things… had he let himself be blinded by a facade because he'd just wanted her to be okay?

Nothing could hold him back in that moment, and he'd already slipped on his coat before she could say that she needed him – there was no way he would leave Noah and her alone in this situation. Rafael Barba couldn't remember a time he'd made it across Manhattan in such a short amount of time – and he'd definitely risked his ass quite a few times – but he didn't care: the only important thing was that he was finally there, where he should have been the whole time.

His heart clenched at the sight of her when she opened the door for him, eyes glassy from suppressed tears and her shoulders tense.

"I'm sorry," he whispered under his breath – he'd sprinted up the stairs because he hadn't been patient enough for the elevator – and she shook her head as she stepped to the side to let him in. Rafael knew that she was about to tell him that he didn't need to apologise, but he knew that he could have been there for her, should have been, and that he would never stop apologising for abandoning her.

"Liv, how are you doing?"

He tried to hide from her how helpless he felt as they stood in the small hallway, and she shrugged, blinking back fresh tears. "I… I still don't know how to tell him that his grandmother did something bad and that he'll have to sit with someone in two days who'll ask questions about what happened."

Rafael didn't say it, but he could fully understand her – Noah had started to see Sheila Porter as a part of his life, adored her, and now they had to tell him that she wouldn't ever come back? Before he knew it, he had wrapped his arms around her, like he had in her office when she'd almost lost her mind from the worry about her missing son, and this time, she completely sank into the embrace, her fingernails digging into his shoulders as she held on to him.

"It's okay, you're not alone, Liv. We'll find a way, I promise."

She buried her face in his neck and he could feel her tears against his skin, but he didn't mind. For the sake of Noah, she'd held those tears back for too long, and he was glad that she was letting them out now.

"Rafa?"

The small voice made him glance over to the doorway, and Rafael sighed inwardly as he saw Noah staring at them with wide eyes, worry written all over his face. "What's with Mama?"

Olivia tried to stop her tears but failed, sniffling as she smiled weakly through the tears, and Rafael decided to take the lead. "Mama is a bit sad, amigo, because she has to tell you something that isn't easy to talk about. Why don't we sit down and I tell you?"

He didn't know if that was the right way to start this, but if even Olivia didn't know how, he didn't think there could be the perfect way. And Noah was a smart boy, he was sure that he would be able to make him understand with a subtle enough approach. Upon Noah's nod, they moved to the living room, Olivia still leaning into Rafael, and settled on the couch. After a moment of hesitation, Noah slipped onto his mother's lap, his arms slung around her while he faced Rafael.

"Okay, Noah… uhm… you remember when Sheila and you went on your road trip to the woods?" Rafael started gently, squeezing Olivia's hand – he hadn't even noticed that she'd taken it, but he was more than willing to give her all the support she needed.

"Sure. We saw the deers after that!"

"Yes, I remember, you told me about that. Noah… I know you've been wondering why you couldn't see your grandma lately. The truth is, amigo… taking you on that road trip wasn't something Sheila was allowed to do."

Noah looked confused, and Rafael had to think about his words for a moment. "You know that you always have to ask your Mama if you can go somewhere. Well, Sheila didn't ask your Mama for permission, your Mama didn't know where you two were going, and that is against the law."

"I didn't know it was forbidden," Noah said quietly, sounding a little as if he was afraid that he was going to be punished, too.

"That's okay, amigo, it's not your fault," Rafael hurried to assure him, ruffling Noah's curls. "But Grandma Sheila has to face the consequences of what she did. Your Mama trusted her and she betrayed her – that's why you couldn't see her anymore. Do you understand that?"

"So she's in trouble?"

"Yes, baby. You won't be able to play with her anymore," Liv whispered, her voice heavy, and Rafael could tell that she was trying to find something to lessen the impact of the explanation they were giving Noah.

"And in a few days, she has to come to court and it will be decided how she's going to be… uhm… punished," Rafael added, inwardly cursing about his choice of words. Somehow he felt like he wasn't the right person for this, at all.

"Will she have to go to jail?"

Olivia took a deep breath and held her son a little tighter while Rafael tried to think of an answer that wouldn't come across as too harsh. In his opinion, there was only the blunt truth: that Sheila should go to jail for what she did, and that she needed intense professional support for her mental health, that her instability would lead to her never seeing Noah again.

"Maybe. But anyway, she'll need help. She's been sad for many years and it made her forget about boundaries, Noah. She never intended to hurt you, but it still wasn't right what she did, and she didn't think of the right and wrong back then."

Rafael wished he'd had time to prepare for this, maybe talk it through with Olivia; this was worse than anything he'd ever experienced in a courtroom, and he felt like he was sweating. On the other hand, Olivia wasn't stopping him, and neither correcting his words, so maybe it was still okay.

Noah appeared a little sad, but he nodded ultimately and looked up at Rafael. "I think I understand. She did bad things and isn't allowed to play anymore."

"Yes," Rafael affirmed, smiling tentatively. "Your Mama didn't know how to tell you, because you said you miss Grandma Sheila. Which is okay, amigo. And in a few days, when a judge is going to look at Sheila, a cop will want to talk to you again, hear the whole story about what happened. There's nothing to be alarmed about, though, they just want you to tell everything to them. But only the truth, of course. You think you can do that?"

There was still worry edged on the face of the little boy, but Rafael felt some sort of pride wash through him when Noah straightened his back a little and nodded bravely. "Yes, I always tell the truth. Mama taught me that lying is bad."

Olivia and Rafael exchanged glances, her eyes filled with gratitude and relief, and Olivia kissed Noah's temple while Rafael nodded. "I know she did. I'm sure you'll do good, Noah, you're a smart boy," Rafael said, barely able to describe how glad he was that Noah seemed to be able to grasp the current situation. Maybe he hadn't fucked it up, then.

"You're smart too, Rafa. Are you happier now, Mama?"

A light smile played around the corners of Olivia's lips and with one glance Rafael could see that her shoulders were less tense by now, something that greatly soothed him. "Yes, I'm better now, baby. Why don't you go and get the new Lego we bought yesterday? Maybe Rafael has time to play."

Noah nodded enthusiastically and slipped off her lap; the moment he was out of the room, Olivia pulled Rafael towards her by the lapels of his suit jacket, their bodies colliding as she quickly wrapped her arms around him. She held him so tightly that a noise of surprise escaped him, but it didn't take long for him to overcome the shock and wrap his arms around her as well.

"Thank you, Rafael. I just didn't know how to handle this… I know I shouldn't have…," she babbled into his shoulder, a guilty tone in her voice, and Rafael sighed inwardly.

"Liv, that's what friends are there for, right? To help in times of trouble, and when you've lost your way. I'm glad I could help, and I'll be there for you whenever you two need me, okay? I promise, Liv, you can always call me. You're not alone in this."

She nodded, releasing a breath, and Rafael smiled at her as she pulled back, their gazes meeting almost automatically. A moment of silence passed between them, full of quiet understanding of why he was ready to drop everything to come to her help, and Rafael cocked his head, smile widening a little. There would be plenty of time to deal with these unsaid things later, when the chaos and worries around the trial of Sheila Porter had settled – it was another quiet promise he gave her in this moment. They would talk about it, they had to, but right now just wasn't the ideal time.

"Look, Rafa, it's a spaceship! It's so cool!"

Noah's voice ripped them from their bubble and Rafael's heart warmed when the boy came over to him – he still wasn't completely used to how easy it was to interact with Noah, and how he seemed to put all his insecurities to rest. Olivia mumbled something about washing her face and making coffee, but Rafael didn't really register anymore, as Noah dragged him over to his play corner and explained his new toy to him, demanding all his attention.

He knew that he would do anything for these two, and he swore to himself that he wouldn't do such a mistake again. No matter how long the trial would last, no matter how much extra time he would have to invest – he would keep as much further harm and trauma from them as possible.

And after that, he would make them happy.


	161. I've Got You

Prompt by xphile101: "You're safe now, I've got you."

I hope you're going to like what I did here, I'm looking forward to your opinions :)

A somewhat continuation of 160. In Times Of Trouble

* * *

 **I've Got You**

The nightmares didn't come too often anymore, but Olivia felt like that didn't change anything about their intensity and the impact they had on her inner peace. It had taken a few weeks and some serious words with Noah about being clingy, but they'd managed to settle back into their normal routine, with Noah sleeping in his room and she in hers, neither of them feeling the intense need to check on the other one. With Noah next to her, she'd been able to get rid of the nightmares, and now that he wasn't snoring next to her anymore, she was glad that they stayed away as well, that she wasn't haunted by Sheila's words and the feeling of how it was to think that you would never see your child again.

But the trial had brought them back, and she knew from experience that it wasn't right to try and stay awake, but she couldn't help it. She'd rather feel shitty from exhaustion and too much caffeine than to be forced to experience the fear of losing her son in the phase that was meant for relaxation.

And so it wasn't exactly surprising when she found herself on the couch with Rafael, hands shaking as she nursed a small glass of wine between chewing on her bottom lip, listening to his recount of the trial in the case of Sheila Porter. Her head was feeling heavy and Rafael's body so close to hers, their knees touching in that almost intimate familiarity, made his soothing warmth seep into her. More than once did she catch herself thinking about how nice it would be to just cuddle into his side and fall asleep.

"It's looking quite good, Liv, really. I can tell you're beating yourself up about it again," Rafael said softly, and Olivia didn't even attempt to act like his words weren't true. He knew her better than to swallow such a lie, and with everything he was doing for her, he at least deserved the truth. "When was the last time you really slept?"

"Are you saying I look like shit?"

Rafael gave her a crooked smirk, amusement mingling with worry in his green eyes. "That's what you said, Liv. But seriously, I'm worried."

"I just… when I close my eyes the nightmares come. My mind comes up with scenarios where she's found not guilty and they give Noah to her, or she comes to get him again and I'm just… frozen. I can't move, I can't scream," she confessed, running a hand through her hair, and Rafael easily wrapped one arm around her shoulder.

"Hey, I promise, there's nothing to worry about as of now. Why don't you take a nap now? I'll look after Noah if he should need something. How does that sound?"

Normally, she probably would have argued with him, trying to convince him that she was fine without help, but right now his offer just made her want to hug him. The thought that Noah was being watched by someone she would trust with her life was soothing her more than she was willing to admit, and he seemed to know.

Even if she had had the strength to argue, he probably would have persisted anyway.

"Okay. Rafa…"

They exchanged a long glance of understanding, and Rafael reached out as if to cup her cheek, but redirecting his hand to push a strand of her hair behind her ear instead. "I know, Liv."

She smiled tiredly, glad that she didn't tear up, and Rafael grabbed the quilt that was draped over the side of the couch. "Come here."

Without a moment of hesitation did she follow when he settled back into the corner of the couch, placing a pillow on his chest. It was a very close position, closer than some people would have deemed appropriate, but neither of them cared. They'd always been comfortable with each other; it simply was the way they interacted best, their closeness making them a good team.

After the quilt was spread over her and she'd found the most comfortable position, Rafael smiled at her. "Want me to sing you a lullaby?"

"Oh, please spare me," she joked back, closing her eyes as he wrapped one arm around her back.

"You underestimate my musical abilities, Benson."

A light chuckle left her and she took deep breaths, relaxing against him. She hadn't felt such a calm in a very long time. Sleep came in such an easy way that it was almost weird, and the pictures that had terrorised her so many times before stayed away. Only once did she stirr, and in her half-asleep state she heard Rafael's soft voice whisper to her: "You're safe now, I've got you. Both of you, Liv."

She knew when she slipped back into slumber that he meant every word.


	162. A Piece Of Advice

After the angst I needed to write you all some fluff!

I hope you all enjoy it! :)

* * *

 **A Piece Of Advice**

It was a beautiful spring day in New York City, the sun shining down on Central Park from a clear blue sky, creating a perfect setting to visit the park, and thus Rafael had used the opportunity to take the afternoon off and spend time with Noah. His first game with his Little League team was coming closer, and Rafael thought he might like to practice some more to soothe his obvious nervosity. Over the last two weeks, Rafael had tried to reassure Noah that he was good at baseball by watching him during practice and playing with him whenever his schedule allowed it, but he could tell that Noah was still worried.

At least today, he seemed to have the courage to address his issue; when they'd played for a good two hours, they settled on a bench with some ice cream, and Noah glanced up at Rafael tentatively.

"Rafa… are you sure I'm good enough to play on Sunday?"

"Why do you think you aren't?" Rafael asked back softly, and Noah looked down at his ice cream cone self-consciously.

"The other kids run a lot faster than me, and I'm the worst at throwing in the whole team. Vijay called me a snail last week."

Rafael frowned, hating the thought of Noah being insulted. "Hey, you're not that bad, amigo. And remember, if someone is mean to you, you just tell them about your Uncle Rafa who'll sue them if they're not nicer."

A tiny smile lit Noah's face up a little and made Rafael's heart jump, together with a short giggle. "You're so silly, Rafa."

"But it's true," he said with a grin, shrugging. "If they don't stop being mean they'll have a problem with me. And let me tell you something, amigo, it's not important that you're one of the best in the team in your very first season. I was a catastrophe in my first Little League season, it's impossible to be even worse."

"Really? What did you do?"

A little bit of hope was swinging in Noah's voice, and Rafael chuckled at the memory. "I was so nervous all the time that I couldn't do anything right. My team was constantly losing because of me. But thinking back, it was okay, you know? I learned and the second season went much better, because I had the time to improve. You only just started, Noah, don't let some idiot kids discourage you. Brett Gardner needed to practice a lot, too before he became a good player."

Noah was quiet for a long moment, eating his ice cream and obviously thinking about Rafael's advice, then smiled up at him. "You're right, Rafa. They're slow, too."

"Yeah, amigo. The only thing that's important is that you have fun," Rafael agreed and ruffled Noah's brown curls with a smile that made the corners of his eyes crinkle, and it only widened when he saw Olivia coming down the path. "Always do what makes you happy, Noah."


	163. Home

Prompt by barsonaddict: Person B smirking proudly to themselves as they watch Person A lovingly admire the engagement ring that B carefully picked out for them. (From otpdisaster)

Yesss, more fluff, and also some Fia for barsonaddict. Here we go!

* * *

 **Home**

"Oh, you two, finally! Olivia, show me the ring again, dear! Oh mijo, you made a very good choice! Delfia, stop drinking wine and look at this!" Lucia Barba gushed loudly with overly dramatic gestures, holding Olivia's hand to examine the diamond ring on her finger closely. Fia was only rolling her eyes about her aunt before returning to nursing her glass of wine, having congratulated her cousin Rafael and his fiancée thoroughly already, and she knew the ring well – after all, she'd helped Rafael pick it. Also, if she got too engaged into the conversation – if you could call it that, as nobody was really replying – at this point she would most likely be harassed about when she would finally present a man she could get married to.

Olivia and Rafael seemed blissfully unaware of Lucia's exaggerated expression of her approval – or at least miraculously unfazed by it – and Fia had to admit that she was jealous.

Not only about their ability to tune out the continued gushing, but also, deep inside, about the amount of comfort between the two, the way they seemed to understand each other without words. To her, it almost looked like Olivia and Rafael were in a little bubble in this moment.

Rafael had a smirk playing around the corners of his lips, something like pride mixing with pure affection and love as he watched his fiancée glance down at her ring. Olivia was smiling in tranquil happiness, admiring the gleaming diamond ring. Once or twice, their gazes flickered up at the same time, as if they were naturally drawn to each other, their souls in sync, and met, exchanging tiny smiles.

Fia didn't have any other words to describe it – they looked like they were finally home, right where they belonged.


	164. The Anti-Valentines

Entry for thebarsondaily's _Weekly Drabble Prompt_ on Tumblr

 **Prompt:** chocolate

This is a little add-on to my Valentine's Day Fic-A-Thon oneshot "Ordinary Days".

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback!

* * *

 **The Anti-Valentines**

"Morning, Livy. Valentine's Day is finally over," Rafael's husky voice whispered into Olivia's ear, waking her from the light slumber she usually fell back into between the first and second alarm in the morning. His warm breath tickled her skin, and a tingle rushed through her when he pressed up against her back, skin against skin, and a sleepy, yet content smirk came onto her face as she was reminded of their activities the previous night.

"It wasn't that bad, though. Your sarcasm yesterday was highly amusing."

Olivia sighed, allowing herself to enjoy this feeling of being home in his arms a little longer, trying to forget that her alarm clock could interrupt them again any minute. The low chuckle that made his chest vibrate woke the wish that they could stay in bed all day, but unfortunately that wouldn't be possible. She had to be at work soon, and Rafael, though he had the morning off, had to get up, too, to bring Noah to preschool. Also he had his traditional post-Valentine's Day chocolate shopping thingy with Rita and Fia, and though she could feel his desire to stay in bed pressed against her thigh, she knew that he wouldn't miss this activity.

"Still. No more hearts and flowers and kitschy stuff and ads... Rita was close to suing the owner of the skyscraper you can just see from her office for the giant advertisement for some Valentine's Day present because she thinks it enforces traditional roles. Could barely hold her back. But now it's over and we get loads of chocolate for a small price."

Now it was Olivia's turn to chuckle, amused by the thought that if Rita Calhoun seriously stuck to her word if she said she would sue, she definitely wouldn't have such an excellent reputation in New York City – she would have to compliment her for her restraint one day. She knew from experience how hard it could be to hold yourself back when people around you were doing or talking shit.

The alarm clock's high-pitched, annoying melody broke the comfortable atmosphere a few seconds later, and Olivia and Rafael both groaned unhappily. After shutting the torturous device off quickly, Olivia turned around and pecked a kiss on his cheek, her fingertips running over his deliciously scruffy jaw. "We should get up."

An unwilling frown came onto his face, and he only didn't protest because she glared at him. "Can we shower together before Noah wakes up?"

"That's a compromise I can work with," she replied with a nod, smirking and running one hand down his chest suggestively.

OoO

Thanks to a long and very relaxing shower and a lively breakfast with her two favourite people in the world, Olivia found it easier to go to work, her mood incredibly good. The morning went by relatively fast, as tackling her paperwork went a lot smoother, and before she knew it, it was lunchtime and her office was stormed by an incredibly cheery group consisting of Rafael, Rita and Fia. Rita and Fia were obviously a little drunk, giggling and joking around, and Olivia felt a stab of jealousy – she wished she could have been there with them this morning.

Everyone of the three was carrying two or three giant bags filled with Valentine's Day boxes of sweets, and Rafael kissed Olivia's cheek before placing a bag with half a dozen boxes of her favourite chocolates on her desk.

"Mi amor, I promised you chocolate, and I delivered. Maybe next year you can join our merry group of anti-valentines."

"Yes!" Fia exclaimed, pulling two small liquor bottles from her bag and handing one to Rita. "Take the whole day off, though, then you can join Rita and me on our nice treat yourself day. Even though you're not a proud single lady anymore."

"Let's say we acknowledge that you were a proud single lady," Rita added before the two downed the liquor, making Olivia chuckle.

"I feel honoured."

"You should! Membership in the anti-valentines is very exclusive."

Rafael smirked at his girlfriend, then glanced at the clock. "Okay, sorry, ladies, but I gotta get to work. Please behave, if I get called to bail you out I'll send Lucia."

"That was one time!"

Olivia laughed even more, glad to be able to witness the hilarious exchange, and leaned in to kiss Rafael, resulting in cheers from the two women. "Thank you for the chocolate, Rafa. But don't tell Noah, he would lose his mind."

A pout came onto Rafael's face, making him look adorable. "But Liv, I battled an old lady for the last two boxes of his favourites! And I have already planned to teach him about the wonders of post-holiday shopping!"

"You know he would eat all the chocolate at once. Hide it and don't tell him."

"Cruel," Rafael simply said, looking like a beaten puppy, and she rolled her eyes, a small smirk playing around the corners of her lips.

"See you tonight, Rafael."

He opened his mouth to protest but shut it again a second later, probably realising that it wouldn't be of much use. Rita grabbed his forearm and pulled him with her, waving at Olivia.

"We'll make sure he gets out."

"See you, Liv. We're looking forward to having you with us next year," Fia added with a grin, winking at Mike Dodds when she turned towards the door the moment he was entering the office; Mike's cheeks flushed immediately and Olivia's smirk widened. This bunch of people maybe was one of the most chaotic patchwork families she'd ever encountered, but yet she found herself feeling incredibly lucky and happy that she was being made a part of it. They loved each other as much as they teased each other, and it was the kind of family relationship she'd always envied others for.

Now she was in the middle of it, and it felt wonderful.

She couldn't wait for next year, eager to join the anti-valentines on their shopping spree.


	165. An Important Moment

Prompt by barsonaddict: How about a drabble where Rafael introduces Noah to Harry Potter?

I hope this turned out how you imagined it, barsonaddict, and that everyone enjoys it :)

* * *

 **An Important Moment**

Rafael quietly closed the apartment door behind himself and slipped out of his shoes, trying not to draw any attention to himself, but it was no use – a second later a little whirlwind stormed into the hallway, wrapping itself around his legs. "Papí, you're late! You promised to read me my bedtime story! Stop working so late!"

A chuckle escaped him when he knelt down, pulling the boy into his arms and pecking a kiss onto his temple before replying: "I'm sorry, mijo, I had to meet Fia to borrow something from her. She sends her love, and wants to know what you want to eat for dinner on your sleepover next weekend."

The mention of Rafael's younger cousin lighted up Noah's face, and Rafael's heart jumped at the sight. "Pizza, of course. Silly question."

Rafael exchanged a smirk with Olivia, who was leaning in the doorway, and gave Noah another kiss, ruffling his brown curls. "Told her that. Now, shouldn't you in bed, señor?"

"He wouldn't let me read to him," Olivia said, obviously trying to suppress a smile, and Noah nodded heftily, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Yes, because Papí promised to read me something special tonight. And I wouldn't have been able to sleep anyway without finding out the secret," Noah argued, looking up at his mother with a serious expression as Rafael released him to take off his coat and pull a book from his briefcase, though keeping the title turned away from Noah and Olivia.

"But that doesn't mean that you can just decide to be up past your bedtime. You're supposed to listen to your mum."

He was glad that Noah looked a little bit guilty and mumbled an apology to his mother; Olivia smiled and kissed her son. "I accept your apology, baby. Now get into bed and get comfy, Papí will read to you in a minute."

"Yes, give me a minute, I want to get out of my suit," Rafael agreed, and Noah nodded eagerly before running off to his room, calling for his stuffed seal.

A suggestive smirk made Olivia's brown eyes sparkle, and she leaned into him, her breath tickling his ear. "Oh, I want you to get out of your suit, too."

"Later, mi amor," he murmured back, running his hand over her waist before stepping back. "First I gotta introduce your son to the holy book."

Her eyebrow raised, and he knew that she was about to tell him that she wanted Noah to choose himself if he wanted to get into religion or not, so her turned the book cover towards her, smirking. The frown immediately disappeared from her face when she took in the title of the book and was replaced with a wide smile, a laugh bubbling out of her; Rafael embraced the warmth that was filling him at the pride visible in her eyes. It pushed the insecurity he sometimes still felt about interacting with Noah further away, making room for his confidence.

He hurried to get out of his suit and into a pair of sweatpants, but Noah still shot him an impatient glance as he shifted under his blankets so Rafael could settle next to him in the small bed. "Patience, mijo. Some things are worth the wait."

"Like sleepovers with Jesse?" Noah asked while cuddling into Rafael's shoulder when he wrapped one arm around the boy.

"Yeah, mijo, like sleepovers with Jesse. They're special, and you sometimes have to wait some time until you can do them again."

"When Jesse and I are grown ups, we'll have sleepovers every day."

Rafael chuckled about the seriousness in Noah's voice, picking up the book. "I'm sure you two will. Now, mijo, this book is important, maybe the most important book I will ever read to you."

His big words effectively caught Noah's undivided attention, taking his mind off sleepovers, and Rafael smiled – it was weird, but it felt like an important moment, and he wanted to savour every second. "I read this book to Fia when she was not much older than you, and I hope you'll love it as much as we two love it. It's magic."

"What's it called?"

"Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," Rafael replied softly, opening the book, and Noah's eyes fixed on the pages along with his – a surge of pride came over Rafael as Noah tried to spot words he could read already. He was so smart. Trying to keep his excitement down, he started to read, and Noah was hanging on every word.

OoO

Olivia groaned when the mattress moving next to her ripped her from the light slumber she'd just drifted into, and her gaze jumped to the alarm clock.

"Rafa... how many chapters did you read to him?" she asked, her sleepiness not lessening the sharpness of her tone, and Rafael wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his warm body.

"He wouldn't let me stop. He's decided to drop out of preschool and go to Hogwarts."

"May I remind you that you preached about being up after bedtime when you came home? You're such a hypocrite."

He chuckled against her skin while placing soft kisses on her neck. "I blame Fia for teaching him to be rebellious."

She was glad that he couldn't see her smile in the darkness, as she really wanted to be mad with him – Noah would be really tired tomorrow. But then it just always made her weak when Rafael and Noah were doing things together, and she couldn't be too angry about the two of them spending quality time together despite Rafael's tight work schedule.

"Rafi?"

"Hm?

"You're such a good Papí."


	166. Worth All The Waiting

Prompt by khughes830: Barson - "I just need ten minutes."

I hope you all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your opinions :)

* * *

 **Worth All The Waiting**

Rafael glanced down at his Rolex with growing impatience, pacing the living room where Noah was busy drawing a picture while Lucy was preparing his dinner. "Liv, the driver is already waiting downstairs!"

The answer came promptly from their bedroom, making it hard for Rafael to suppress an eyeroll. "I just need ten more minutes!"

He bit his lip to keep himself from reminding her that she'd scolded him half an hour later for wasting time by playing with Noah instead of getting into his suit. And now she was stalling herself?

Shaking his head, Rafael told himself to calm down and not let his nervosity take over and let him say something stupid to the woman he loved. She rarely ever let him wait, so he would get over this. "Just make sure you have an eye on the time. We don't want to be late."

"You've never been good at patience," Olivia answered, amusement swinging in her voice as she entered the living room, a huge smile on her face, but Rafael was too occupied staring at her to notice her remark. Her blue, floor-length gown sat perfectly and matched his tie, her hair was up in a bun with a few curls falling from it teasingly, and his jaw almost dropped. Once again he had to remind himself that this intelligent, compassionate and beautiful woman was truly loving him just as much as he loved her.

"But I got the feeling that you're nervous about tonight, you're normally not this impatient."

She kissed Noah goodbye, just as Rafael, and they moved into the hallway, Rafael meeting her eyes with a sheepish expression. "It's just… it's our first gala as a married couple."

Her smile softened and she cupped his cheek, leaning in to kiss him. "You're adorable, sweet and a hopeless romantic, Mr Barba. Never change."

"I'll give my best, Mrs Benson Barba. May I say that you look as lovely as you did on our wedding day?"

"Charmer. Now you're the one delaying us," Olivia shot back, her cheeks a little pink, though, and Rafael helped her into her coat, pecking a kiss on her cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too, mi amor, and you're worth all the waiting in the world. But now we really gotta go. I want to show you off to everyone."

"And I'll show you off."


	167. Handling The Darkness

Prompt by laurracaworld: Barson - "How long have you been standing there?"

I hope you all enjoy it! :)

* * *

 **Handling The Darkness**

There were times when Olivia was able to forget briefly about the horrors she'd endured in her life. Mostly while watching Noah play carefreely did that occur, his laughter soothing the wounds and chasing away the negative feelings, memories and the dreams they sometimes still conjured. It was a little like salvation, as if the universe had meant for them to come together to save them both, to save each other.

But sometimes, even Noah's joyful nature couldn't keep the demons away. When her boy was in bed and there was no one to keep her mind busy, to distract her and she'd maybe encountered a woman at work who'd suffered a similar fate, the memories flooded her mind. And then, she doubted she'd ever truly healed.

Hitting the bottom of that hole Lewis had burned into her soul wasn't has painful as it had been years earlier, but it still left her with the feeling that she was damaged goods, that she was a hypocrite for telling other survivors to be strong when she herself struggled, even after such a long time.

If things got extremely bad, she ended up standing in front of the floor-length mirror in her bedroom, only in her bra, a frown on her face and tears never far from rising in her eyes while she scrutinised every single one of the scars on her skin that would never fade completely. They would forever remind her of what had happened to her. She knew that it was wrong to wallow in the negative feelings that rushed through her when she looked at them like this, almost able to remember how painful they'd been to receive, but she couldn't help it.

"Liv, stop staring at them like this."

Olivia whipped around in shock, seeing Rafael lean in the doorway – she hadn't expected him to be home so early. "How long have you been standing there?"

She crossed her arms in front of her chest defensively, knowing what he was probably thinking about this unhealthy habit, but he just stepped closer and pulled her against his chest. "It's okay to hurt sometimes, mi amor. Just promise you'll always remember afterwards how incredibly strong you are."

His warmth caused tears to rise in her eyes, and she held on to him, feeling the darkness that had been looming nearby slip away. He never failed to pull her back up, to remind her of how far she'd come, and that it wasn't a weakness to let the bad memories to take the upper hand from time to time, as long as she never forgot that she was stronger than the darkness.

And once again she realised that while Noah was able to keep her from looking down the hole that she could only mend very slowly, Rafael kept her from falling back into it when she took a glimpse.


	168. What Matters Most

Prompt by barsonaddict: "Do you really think I could ever replace you?"

Set after THE epsisode. I hope y'all enjoy it, I'm looking forward to your feedback :)

* * *

 **What Matters Most**

Tears were burning in his eyes when he walked away from her, his feet heavy and protesting at every single step he took, every fiber of his body knowing that this wasn't right. He knew the courthouse to be in his back, towering high above, but he didn't care much about it. Walking away from it would have been easy, if it hadn't been for the person standing in front of it. Rafael was aware of Olivia's gaze resting on his back, and it was her who made it hard to put one foot in front of the other.

Suddenly, he heard quick steps behind him, and though he didn't know if it was Olivia at all, it was enough to stop him. Turning around, relief washed through him when he met her tear-filled, brown eyes, and his heart clenched at the sadness in her voice. "Are you seriously just going to run away like that? After saying such things? Painting the last six years in such a light and then throwing them away?"

She hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and added heavily: "Us?"

It almost made the tears break free, and his body was shaking from the emotions that were storming inside him. "No, Liv. I... you've become such an important part of my life, do you really think I could ever replace you?"

"Then why did you walk away?" she asked, dabbing at her eyes with her gloved fingers, and Rafael wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her and never let go to make up for what he'd done just a minute ago. "Why did you leave me standing here?"

Rafael knew that it would sound weird, but deep inside of him he knew that she would understand him, even though it might be an abstract thought by him. "I wasn't walking away from you, Liv. Well, from our professional relationship. From my job."

He couldn't help the laugh that broke free from him as he added: "It was symbolic, and you stood in the wrong spot."

After a moment of shock, she chuckled as well, wiping the tears away. "You scared the shit out of me, Rafa. I seriously thought you would just disappear from the face of the earth with our friendship meaning nothing in the end."

"That would be completely implausible. And unbearable for me," he said with another laugh, shaking his head. "I admit that it looked that way, though. Maybe I should have thought that through a little more."

"The one time your spontaneity and your genius didn't work together that well."

His heart jumped at the crooked, yet affectionate smirk that flashed over her face, and he knew that he was forgiven. Olivia slipped her hand into his and took a deep breath at the same time as he did, willing the tears away with a boyish smile, and he felt like some of the weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "I guess I'll have a lot more time for Disney movies and ice cream with Noah and Eddie now."

"He'll love that," she replied, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, squeezing his fingers. "Maybe you could start with that today?"

"You're seeing the opportunity of saving the money for the babysitter, Lieutenant Benson."

"Maybe. But also for making my little boy infinitely happy with Uncle Rafa having loads of time for him."

A warm feeling spread inside Rafael, and for some blissful moments, he forgot about the fact that he was now unemployed and in all newspapers in New York because of the trial. The thought of being able to spend more time with the Benson family, no cases keeping his visits short, was the best thing he could think of in that moment.

He was sure that he would find a new path for his life, he always did. His job had been important, but if he thought about it, it wasn't such a big part of his life anymore, at least not one that he desperately needed to exist.

But there was one part of his life that he never wanted to change, one he couldn't live without; the thought of it alone made him feel empty. Olivia and Noah had sneaked their way into his life, into his heart, and as Olivia and him slowly walked away from the courthouse, he knew that everything would would be alright in the end. His life was being thrown upside down, but he still had them, and that was the one thing that mattered to him in that moment.


	169. Clothes

Prompt by barbabean: Barson - "Oh, fuck off." and "You're going out dressed like that?"

(There was a third prompt but I couldn't come up with something including it, sorry)

* * *

 **Clothes**

Olivia was used to Rafael's eccentric fashion choices and the ridiculous amount of space they occupied in their closet. She'd even come to like most of his outfits, because they were just so him, but this... it really was too much, and she couldn't keep herself from shaking her head, slowly, judgingly, as she watched him get ready. Rita and him were attending a reunion with fellow Harvard graduates living in New York tonight, and he seemed determined to look his best and impress.  
Maybe a little too determined.

"You're going out dressed like that?" Olivia ultimately asked, after Rafael had checked his appearance in the mirror for quite a long time and obviously hadn't found anything wrong with it, giving himself a satisfied nod. A confused expression came onto his face and he turned around to glance over to where she was sitting on the bed, unable to hide her scepticism.

"Why yes, I think it looks good."

Olivia frowned and made a noise of disagreement. "You sure?"

"Yes," Rafael replied dryly, his green eyes gleaming dangerously as if to warn her that she shouldn't say something wrong now.

"Huh. Well, okay. You're the expert here."

She made a dismissive gesture with her hand, trying to keep her attention away from him, but she could still feel a comment burning on her tongue, desperate to get out. Rafael knew her all too well, and the glare he sent her alone made it obvious that he knew that she was struggling to keep quiet.

"What, Olivia, what?"

He was aware of the sharpness in his tone, but she didn't flinch at all, as she'd already anticipated it.

"I'm just thinking that it's weird that today of all days, when you're aiming to impress your Harvard people, you would put on the Minion's tie Noah picked for you!" she exclaimed, gesturing at the shrill yellow and blue tie. "It's so weird and not fitting the occasion that I'm wondering if you're already drunk."

For a second, he glanced down at the tie around his neck, then looked at her a lot longer, a guarded expression on his face. Then, he suddenly put one hand onto the tie protectively, the stare turning into a glare.

"Oh, fuck off, Olivia! How dare you criticise this precious expression of our boy's love for me! And don't even think about mocking me for wanting to show off that I now have a son who gives me present that may seem weird but are full of love!"

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, he didn't see why he should be embarrassed for this, and he stared his girlfriend down, daring her to say something else. He did expect more arguing, probably about him complaining about being mocked… But then she suddenly jumped from the bed, grabbed his tie and kissed him passionately, flabbergasting him. Ultimately, he started to return the hot kisses, wrapping his arms around her waist possessively, and she mumbled against his lips while tangling her fingers in his hair: "God, you're so hot when you're being a Papí bear."

"So, no more criticism?"

"Not if you get rid of these pants instantly."


	170. Bed Deals

Prompt by barsonaddict: "You can't banish me! This is my bed too!"

I hope you all enjoy it :)

* * *

 **Bed Deals**

Rafael yelped as he was ripped from his sleep, and he sat up in bed abruptly, needing a moment to orientate himself before he realised that he was at home. In the next moment, he also located the cause of his awakening, it not being new to him at all. Turning his head, he glared at the other occupant of the bed, who was still slumbering as if she was innocent. And yet the evidence was obvious, her icy feet pressed against his legs, obviously seeking for warmth.

"Olivia. You forgot to put on socks again," he said loudly into the silence of their bedroom, not caring much in this moment that he would wake her. Olivia stirred almost immediately, used to having Noah rouse her calling her name after a nightmare.

"Whut?" she mumbled into her pillow, not bothering to turn around once she'd realised that Noah wasn't there, and Rafael rolled his eyes.  
"Your feet. Cold. Go away. This is the third time this week. That's it, Liv, you're sleeping on the couch."

His harsh words didn't fail to get her complete attention, and almost immediately she sat up, her brown hair tousled and hanging around her head in weird angles. "You can't banish me, this is my bed, too!"

"But you're breaking the rules of bedsharing! No blanket hogging, no snoring and no fucking cold feet pressed against my bloody legs!" Rafael exclaimed, crossing his arms in front of his chest, and even while ruffled from sleep and just wearing boxers and a tshirt he looked as stern as he did in the courtroom. "So it's the couch for you tonight."

"This is ridiculous. I didn't even touch your leg on purpose!"

Olivia was returning his glare now, her brown eyes twinkling with the exhausted determination of staying under her warm blankets and anger about his behaviour. For a long moment, they just continued to glare at each other, neither of them willing to move an inch, then Olivia added defiantly: "Who came up with these rules anyway?"

"You get to guess three times. Big tip, name starts with 'O', and ends with 'livia Margaret Benson', mí amor," Rafael replied, a triumphant smirk starting to spread on his face, and most likely due to the late hour, Olivia's face fell immediately as she was unable to control her reaction.

However, that didn't mean that she was defeated just yet – holding her head high to attempt and preserve her dignity, she looked at him with an expression that stirred his insides. She usually had it when she was coming up with certain... kinky activities for them.

"How about a deal? I put socks on now... and if Noah sleeps in I'll give my best to... well... make it up to you?"

Her lips curled into a mischievous smirk, and he knew that he had no chance. This woman knew exactly what to do to persuade him to do anything for her, and he didn't bother at all.

"Socks. Now."

She nodded, winking suggestively. "No socks tomorrow morning."


	171. Learning

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr

 **Prompt:** chocolate

* * *

 **Learning**

"This is madness!" Rafael exclaimed as he pulled his scarf tighter around his head, shooting Olivia a glare while Noah skipped down the pavement between them happily, swinging his arms as he held both their hands. "It's way too cold to be outside for longer than it takes to walk from the cab to the building you're headed for!"

"But you promised we'll go ice skating today weeks ago!" Noah piped up, holding Rafael's hand a little tighter, as if he was afraid that he would turn around. Olivia rolled her eyes lightly - Rafael had been complaining ever since he'd checked on the weather for the first time shortly after waking up. But she knew that he would never back out, not able to break Noah's heart. Sometimes, his inability to say No to Noah's perfected puppy dog eyes proved to be a problem, but she knew he was working on his resolve.

"Yeah, I know I did, mijo. I just don't want to hear you two complain later when I say 'Told you' after we freeze our... noses off."

"You're too negative, Rafael," Olivia said softly, completely unfazed by a gush of icy cold wind hitting them as they turned a corner. "It's just the right weather for ice skating, it'll warm us up! Stop being so grumpy, Rafa."

"I'm not grumpy!"

Rafael almost whined the words out, and Noah started to giggle, the joy in his brown eyes making it hard for Rafael to keep up his negative demeanour as the boy exclaimed: "Yes you are, Papí! Mama, maybe we have to make him drink loads of hot chocolate so he'll be more warm and happy!"

Olivia chuckled warmly, glancing over at Rafael, and replied: "Well, that's a nice idea, Noah, we'll have a hot chocolate before we start skating. What about you, Rafa?"

"I want coffee," he mumbled under his breath, lips sticking out in a light pout, though he obviously tried to tone it down.

"But Papí, coffee is yucky. Hot chocolate is the best thing in the world."

"Wait until you're older, mijo, then you'll change your opinion on that."

Noah shook his head so hard that his wool hat slipped up a little, making disgusted noises. "Never."

Rafael reached out and gently pulled the hat down over Noah's curls again, sighing with a light smile, Olivia watching them with a smirk. "Okay, mijo. Hot chocolate it is, then."

"You can learn a lot from me, Papí," Noah said seriously, and while Olivia started to laugh loudly, Rafael's smile morphed into a smirk, accompanied by a wink directed at the boy next to him.

"I guess I can. You're pretty smart, mijo."

And if he was being honest, he was truly learning from Noah – his joy and curiosity were infectious, and Rafael had to admit that he wasn't as negative about the cold as he'd expressed. Maybe they would be desperate to get warmed up later, but it would be worth it, for he would have spent a fun afternoon with the two people that were showing him day by day how wonderful life could be.


	172. To Stay

Prompt by barsonaddict: "I need a place to stay." Between Rafael and Lucia.

Idk, it didn't turn out as I intended and I feel like there are some wonky transitions, so I apologise beforehand.

* * *

 **To Stay**

The true impact of what he'd just done – quitting his extremely high-paying job – only hit Rafael when he came home hours after his talk with Liv at the courthouse. His step was swaying slightly from the scotch he'd drunk on an empty stomach, and yet he felt like he'd sobered up completely when he entered his spacious living room, the question of how he was going to continue paying the rent rushing through his mind.

"What the fuck have you done, Rafael?" he mumbled to himself, sinking down on his couch, and for a second he felt completely numb as he stared into space, a light dizziness making it seem as if everything around him was swaying slightly.

Once his mind seemed to have managed to wrap itself around the fact that this was reality and that sitting around wouldn't change anything about that, the panic started to rise inside him. He'd been so focused on cutting the ties, on deciding that he couldn't continue like before that he'd uncharacteristically lost sight of the consequences.

How was he supposed to go on from here?

Rafael realised that he had no idea what kind of a job he could start looking for now. Being an ADA had been his life, something that had defined him, and he seriously wondered who he was now that he didn't have his job anymore.

And what was even more pressing: what about his economic situation? He'd saved up quite a large amount of money, enough to live off for a few months, but he wasn't the kind of person to solely rely on savings. He either needed a job as soon as possible or a place to stay while searching for the right kind of new job for himself and an apartment that would suit his new salary.

It was one of Rafael's talents to think practical even in situations charged with emotions, and so he knew that he had to find a temporary roommate under his family or friends. With the alcohol fueling his motivation, he pushed himself off his couch, feeling weirdly enthusiastic and prepared about facing talks about what had happened.

While getting on the elevator, he went through a list of people he'd prefer to stay with, ones he knew he wouldn't bother and who wouldn't bother him, and it wasn't hard to guess who 'his person' was.

OoO

It took three rings and a few annoyed knocks until Rita finally opened the door for him, her light brown curls disheveled, her cheeks flushed. Her chest was heaving as if she'd just run a marathon and she was only dressed in a thin, lacy kimono which she was holding closed with one hand. Rafael didn't need to see the big hickey forming on her neck to know what she'd been up to.

"Rafael… if you came to apologise for taking Dworkin as your defense and not me, I gotta say this is not a good time, I'm… uhm... "

"Busy?"

He cocked an eyebrow teasingly, even in his current emotional situation, and she nodded, agreeing breathlessly: "Uh, yeah, busy. Really busy. Sorry. I'll call you, okay?"

And before he could open his mouth to utter any further questions, she'd shut the door, and through the small glass windows he could see her dashing towards the living room, shrugging off the kimono.

He guessed it was better he hadn't had the opportunity to ask for her hospitality – he really didn't want to know what and who she was doing.

OoO

Asking his mother had been his last option on his list of family and mutuals he would feel comfortable to ask for the favour of letting him stay at their place. It wasn't long, he admitted to himself, but he hadn't thought that many of the names wouldn't be an option at the second thought.

His baby cousin Fia had been his first choice, but her couch wasn't the most comfy. At some point, he'd gotten so desperate that even asking Rollins and thus tolerate many questions and maybe even blame for leaving Olivia standing in the rain sounded desirable. Maybe bribing her with the promise of freshly cooked food and babysitting Jesse for free would be able to buy her silence…

But then she was just too close to Liv by now, and unable to keep juicy gossip to herself – he couldn't take that risk.

So he knocked on his mother's door.

It took her surprisingly long to open the door – a déjà-vu for him – and his jaw almost dropped when Lucia finally appeared. She was all dressed up, wearing a red dress he'd never seen on her before, her lipstick perfectly matching its shade.

"Mijo, what a surprise… what are you doing here? I didn't miss you calling, hopefully?"

He'd wanted to break the news to her cautiously, but he was just too surprised to think about measuring his words.

"I quit my job and now I need a place to stay," he blurted out, seeing the surprise on his mother's face morph into pure shock from one second to the other.

"You… you did what?" she stammered with wide eyes, one hand landing over her heart. "Mijo, I thought they offered you to stay… you're innocent…"

It wasn't something he wanted to talk about on the doorstep, but the unexpected news seemed to have frozen her into place. Just as he opened his mouth to explain the circumstances in the shortest version possible, a voice from inside the apartment broke the shocked silence hanging between them. "Lu? Everything alright?"

Rafael lost control about his expression when he recognised the voice and the person he would have least expected at his mother's place came from the living room.

Chief William Dodds was dressed in a casual suit, though he'd taken off the jacket, and his sleeves were rolled up. Holding one of Lucia's cloth napkins she normally only used for very special occasions, William stopped short when he saw Rafael.

"Oh… hello Barba…"

Rafael couldn't speak. His mind was too confused to process the information, and for a moment he was convinced that this was a dream, just like the trial. He would wake up any minute and shake his head about his weird imagination.

But then his mother touched his forearm gently, convincing him that this was reality, and her eyes were begging him not to freak out. "Well, you two know each other already…"

"I better leave you two alone. I don't want to interrupt your dinner," Rafael said stiffly, and when Lucia's eyebrows shot up, he hurried to beat down her protest. "It's okay, Mamí, we'll talk tomorrow. Have a nice evening."

It took him all his willpower not to run away from the scene, his head spinning at the thought that his mother was dating, and then William Dodds, of all people. Liv's boss. One of the most career driven people he'd ever met.

He either needed a scotch, or someone to talk to about it.

OoO

Maybe it was wrong and stupid to come here, but he'd already knocked on the apartment door out of reflex before he could have second thoughts. It was past Noah's bedtime and he was more than glad that the boy was already in bed, as he blurted out the moment Olivia opened the door: "My other best friend is too busy having sex and my mother is having a date with your boss right now and I don't know where to go!"

Confusion flickered over her face for a second, then she took a step to the side to let him in, asking: "Who is Rita having sex with?"

"My mother dating Chief Dodds concerns me a lot more right now! I mean, what the hell?"

His voice was almost whiny when he slipped out of his shoes and jacket; it almost felt like always, as if nothing had happened, and he even forgot about the true reason why he was at her apartment when they settled on the couch together. Olivia was chuckling, her brown eyes twinkling. "You're behaving like a child. You should be happy for her that she's taken the leap and is dating again."

"But Dodds?" Rafael exclaimed, finding it hard to keep his voice low enough so he wouldn't risk waking Noah. "I mean, how does she even know him? And what could she possibly see in him?"

He shook his head, and Olivia cocked hers, gazing at him in silence for a long moment. When she spoke again, his heart stopped beating in shock for a second. "You're just being dramatic about it so you don't have to think about the real reason why you were at your best friend's house and at your mother's apartment, and ultimately landed here."

Of course she was right, and he swallowed thickly while he visibly deflated. Though he'd been seeking advice and help, he'd welcomed the distractions readily. Maybe he was't as ready to face what he'd done and what it would mean for his future as he'd thought he was.

Olivia gently took his hand, squeezing it, and he sniffled slightly, not ashamed of the tears that were rising in his eyes. They'd both seen each other at their worst, and he trusted her to give him all the time he needed.

"I… I think I need a place to stay until… until I know how to sort this out," he said quietly, his voice trembling with emotion, and she nodded, needing no further explanations.

"I don't mind giving you the couch, or sharing my bed with you. And you don't have to talk about it now, Rafael. It's a lot that is happening right now, and it's okay not to be ready to face it everything just yet."

Rafael nodded heavily, and she smiled softly, running her thumb over his knuckles. "So your mother was having a date with Dodds? That's kinda weird, isn't it?"

"Yeah, definitely," Rafael mumbled, his mood a little lighter at last; he knew that eventually, when he felt good about it, Liv would be there to listen to him, to offer advice, and despite everything, he was thankful that she'd wandered into his life those six years ago.


	173. Carefree

Whooops, and there I realise it's been almost a month since my last drabble. Sorry guys, I just had low inspiration and loads of stuff going on. I hope that'll change now that spring is here :)

I hope you all enjoy this little drabble, I'm looking forward to your feedback!

* * *

 **Carefree**

Olivia inhaled deeply as she leaned into Rafael when he pulled a big quilt around their shoulders, a content smile on her lips. The light, salty breeze playing with loose strands of her brown hair, she watched how Noah held his stick with marshmallows over the flames of the campfire that they'd started, her boy's eyes bright in excitement. Seagulls screamed above their heads before diving towards the ocean, its surface dipped into a glowing golden light by the sinking sun, and the crackling of the fire, the soft rush of the waves and her little family's laughter created the most serene atmosphere Olivia had experienced in a long time.

She wouldn't admit it, but she'd desperately needed this time off.

Rafael knew about that anyway, of course – after all, he'd been the one to suggest this rather spontaneous weekend trip to Rita's beach house in the Hamptons, but he knew better than to point it out to her. It was a silent agreement between them that they watched out for each other and made the other take breaks if they noticed that they were struggling.

"Mama, you want a marshmallow too?" Noah asked brightly, ripping her from her thoughts, and even though she didn't really like marshmallows, Olivia just couldn't say no.

"Thank you, sweetie."

Olivia pulled one of the gooey white parts from Noah's stick and put it into her mouth, letting the warm, sugary mass melt on her tongue while ignoring the horribly sweet taste. "Those are the best marshmallows I ever had, No, thank you."

"That's true, mijo, you're a talented marshmallow griller," Rafael pointed out after eating his own share, and their hearts swelled at Noah's proud expression.  
"We gotta take Jesse next time, too. She loves them."

"We might do that, hm? The warmer season only just started."

The thought of coming back here soon, to the tranquility and beauty of this place, sounded absolutely perfect to Olivia, so she found it very easy to agree. Rafael pressed a soft kiss on her cheek, then suddenly jumped. "Mijo, our sandcastle!"

Noah whipped around and released a scream of – overly dramatised – despair when he spotted the waves slowly lapping around the seaside walls of the impressive fortress Rafael and he had built over the course of the day, the sand slowly giving in. "Quick! We need to dig the moat deeper! The fortress can't fall!"

Olivia couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her two favourite people in the whole world stumbling over to the castle, grabbing Noah's colourful sand toy set on the way, and immediately started digging and repairing the walls.

"Mama, don't just laugh, help us!" Noah yelled while patting down the fresh sand he'd just piled up to strengthen the wall, and still laughing carefreely, Olivia shrugged the quilt off her shoulders and ran over to them.

"We have to use stones to protect the walls!"

And even though she knew that it was probably in vain and that they would have to build a new sandcastle the next day, Olivia threw herself into the task completely, gathering pebbles and trying to use them to keep the waves from conquering the walls and pulling the sand back into the ocean.

Because in that moment, she just wanted to be infected by how carefree her boys were and laugh and be silly with them.


	174. Irresistable

*wordlessly gets into the Box of Shame*

Yeah, I know. Too long. I got so many things to do and I'm struggling to find time for fanfiction - I'll attempt to write at work a bit more.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this little drabble!

* * *

 **Irresistable**

"I'm not convinced, Liv, you gotta give me more to work with," Rafael rambled and plopped down on the leather couch in his office dramatically, his long fingers loosening his tie and the collar of his dress shirt after undoing the top buttons, then he grabbed the container of Chinese takeout that Carmen had brought for him from her own lunch break. "Rita is going to pick our current evidence apart within a second, and personally I think she's absolutely right. It's not enough to bring this to trial, or even justify warrants. I won't say a bad word about your gut-feeling, Liv, but it still won't be accepted as incriminating evidence."

Opening the container and inhaling the scent of fried rice with chicken and vegetables while fiddling with the wooden chopsticks, he waited for Olivia to start one of their usual arguments, to tell him that he should trust their victim more and that she wouldn't let him get away so easily.  
But to his utter surprise, she remained silent.

A bite of fried rice halfway to his mouth, he paused and his green eyes jumped up to where Olivia was still standing in the middle of his office, not wearing the expression of determination he would have expected. Her brown eyes were wide, fixed on his chest, a glint of disapprovement lying in them, but somehow he was convinced that it didn't have anything to do with the statement he'd just made.

The fried rice slowly trickled back into the box from the hovering chopsticks when he realised he'd broken a promise he'd made just a fortnight ago, sitting in this same place, though significantly less dressed – missing his pants and boxers, to be exact. And Olivia hadn't been standing in the middle of the room, but had been seated in his lap in an equal state of undress. He could also remember quite vividly what she'd whispered breathlessly between heated kisses.

 _"Never loosen your tie in that lazy manner in front of me again while we're in public, Rafa. It's just too sexy and irresistible."_

"Liv, I'm sorry, I forgot...," he hurried to say, his heart sinking when his girlfriend walked towards the door, but once again she surprised him – instead of leaving, she locked the door and then shut the blinds.

"We talked about this, Barba. But it seems like you forgot all about it. Do I have to remind you what happens when you do that in front of me? You're the one where who wanted to get some work done today," she scolded him with a mischievous gleam in her brown eyes, making him gulp hard as she stepped closer to him slowly, like a lioness approaching her prey.

"I'm sorry, Liv, I really didn't mean to…"

His words slowly faded into silence when she toyed with the top button of her blouse and popped the hip with her Lieutenant badge out. "But you're not the only one here who knows how to push buttons, Barba. Let's see how good you'll have internalised the lesson next time we're here."

And even though he knew that this kind of stuff kept him from working, Rafael couldn't help but smirk when she slipped onto his lap, pulling the silky material of his tie from around his neck slowly. "Oh, I can be a very slow learner, Lieutenant. I might need several lessons."


	175. Coney Island

Hello hello, it's Barson family time!

I hope you enjoy it :)

* * *

 **Coney Island**

"Oh, look, a merry-go-round! Can I ride it? Please!"

Olivia sighed inwardly and gave her best to keep a smile on her face and handle the excitement that was rushing towards her continuously with a great amount of patience. "You haven't finished your candyfloss yet."

"Can't you hold it for me?"

"I'm already carrying this ridiculously huge teddy bear for you and I'm supposed to make photos of you, that just won't work," she argued, almost rolling her eyes at the pout that came back as a reaction. Why had she thought that an afternoon at Coney Island would be a good idea?

"Please! I wanna savour the floss! And you said if I eat too fast my tummy will hurt."

"Papí, you're worse than me," Noah said seriously, copying his mother's slightly impatient stance and looking a lot older than his five years in that moment. "We take the floss on the merry-go-round, Mama."

Rafael made a face at his son's words but didn't argue, just clutched his candyfloss a little tighter and stared towards the ride with a playful gleam in his eyes. Noah shot his mother an adorable 'it's his first time, we gotta be nice' look before taking Rafael's hand. "Let's go, Papí, and please don't scream as loud as you did when you won the can knock down, you're embarrassing."

Biting her bottom lip while her two boys made their way towards the merry-go-round, Olivia had to stifle a laugh. They were so precious, and watching them made her forget about all the stress she'd had lately. She simply loved how Rafael easily left the ADA in the closet along with his suits and relaxed, turning into a goofy man who even turned his phone off to enjoy undistracted time with his family. It was his first visit to Coney Island - when he'd been a child, his mother simply couldn't afford it - and it didn't surprise her that he was eager to catch up on all the things he'd missed. Using Noah as a sort of alibi, he explored everything with an amount of excitement that Olivia had never seen in him before. Well, it had some side effects, but they were more amusing and adorable than annoying 90% of the time.

Rafael and Noah climbed into a carriage of the merry-go-round, big smiles on their faces, and Olivia wrestled the giant teddy bear into a tighter grip to pull out her phone and focus the camera on the two.

Lucia would surely love to see the photos and print some out to hang them up.

Rita and Fia would appreciate the blackmail material.

And she would have another picture she could look at fondly when she happened to have a minute at work, making her look forward to coming home and to more adventures like this.


	176. A Beach House Weekend

Entry for thebarsondaily's _Weekly Drabble Prompt_

 **Prompt:** beach

I hope you all enjoy this little family piece :)

* * *

 **A Beach House Weekend**

Olivia wrapped one arm around Noah's shoulder gently as she joined him in front of the big window front facing the beach, rubbing his back lightly to console her son. He'd been looking forward to playing in the sand and bathing in the ocean so much when they'd planned this long weekend at Rita's beach house in the Hamptons – and now it was raining cats and dogs. Dark clouds were whirling through the sky, pushed into a dance that mixed one shade of a greyish black with another by a strong wind coming from the sea. Thick raindrops pattered against the glass and dampened the white sand outside. White foam crowned the waves as they rolled onto the beach powerfully, the rush mingling with the sound of the rain and the wind. It was a fascinating spectacle, but Olivia knew that Noah had trouble seeing the beauty nature's forces could be.

When you'd been looking forward to fun at the beach, this definitely wasn't something you could be content with.

"How about we play board games, hm? Abuela brought some, and it will distract us all a bit."

"Fia and I wanted to swim and she promised to show me her mermaid magic," Noah said with a little pout, reluctantly turning away from the windows, as if the sun could break through the clouds any moment and make the rain vanish. Fia, who was lounging on the giant couch in a pair of sweatpants, sent a text message with a tender smile – Lucia eyed it suspiciously from behind her magazine – before putting her phone down and opening her arms.

"Come here, pequenajo. I'm sure the weather will be better tomorrow and we'll do all that. Until then we gotta make the best of the situation, don't you think? Rafi, where's my Sex on the Beach?"

"You'd need a man for that, Delfia," Lucia shot back sharply before Rafael could answer from the open kitchen where he'd set to fulfill the task of supplying his family food and drinks that would lift their mood.

"As if you would know, Tía – your last date was when? Let me guess, Kennedy was president."

Noah climbed into Fia's arms while the young woman smirked at her aunt triumphantly – Lucia looked as if she wanted to break out into a rant about how much she disapproved of her niece's behaviour and overall lifestyle, but Noah's presence kept her from doing so. The boy already witnessed enough of her arguments with Fia, in her opinion, and she didn't want to upset him.

Olivia couldn't suppress a snort when she sat down next to Fia and set some of the board games on the coffee table; with Noah cuddled against her shoulder and declaring that he wanted hot chocolate, Fia lifted her phone again and checked a message she'd received with pink cheeks and an uncontrollable smirk.

"Who are you texting, Delfia? Is it a young man? I'd like to meet him," Lucia said, to no one's surprise, and Fia's smile faltered at her aunt's curiousity, which led the elder woman to even lean over to try and read what was on the screen of Fia's phone.

"Oh, I'm sure you would." Fia rolled her eyes and put her phone away, concentrating on Noah. "What game do you want to play, No?"

"One hot chocolate for you, mijo."

Rafael gently set a big mug down on the coffee table, smirking at Olivia when she ran a hand over his back affectionately – she simply loved it when he was like this, anticipating what their boy would want by making use of how well he knew Noah. But certain activities to show him just what exactly it did to her unfortunately had to wait until tonight.

"Gracias, Papí. But I don't feel like playing games," Noah replied with a sad smile, and Fia ruffled his brown curls gently.

"You looked forward to swimming so much, hm?"

The little boy nodded and Fia bit her bottom lip, gazing outside deeply in thought, then she asked: "Rafi? Isn't the pool heated?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Pequenajo, don't you think it doesn't matter if it rains? We'll get wet while swimming anyway. With water from below, what's that bit from above?"

As soon as he understood what she was about to suggest, Noah's face lit up and Olivia couldn't help but laugh lightly when she realised it too. Before they knew it, Noah and Fia had jumped from the couch and raced upstairs to get their bathing clothes, not noticing Lucia's disapproving expression.

"They'll get themselves a lung infection or worse! Will you turn the TV on, mijo, my sitcom is on."

Olivia and Rafael smirked at each other mischievously – with their son occupied and properly distracted and Lucia having her Spanish TV shows, nobody would care at all if they suddenly disappeared. While Lucia zapped through the channels and Fia and Noah raced down the stairs with towels and pool toys, the two of them sneaked upstairs, their fingers entwined.

Despite the bad weather, this was turning out to be the exact kind of weekend they'd been secretly hoping for.


	177. Defiant

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt

Prompt: therapist

Ugh, I seriously suck at titles. Sorry for that :P

* * *

 **Defiant**

Olivia shifted nervously from one foot onto the other once she'd pressed the button for the doorbell, her gaze fixed on the dark wooden door in front of her and the golden knocker fixed to it. She couldn't believe that she had seriously spent half her day chasing her fiancé through New York City after a tiny argument about the wedding preparations. She was still astonished every time how childish this serious and take-no-prisoners ADA could be sometimes.

Her own annoyance was mirrored on Rita's face when the lawyer opened the door and stepped to the side immediately to let her in. "Good, you're here. This asshole is eating my cookies."

"If that's Liv, tell her I don't wanna talk to her!" Rafael yelled from the living room and Rita pinched the bridge of her nose, as if to fight an oncoming headache.

"You two are going to pay the therapist I'll need after dealing with your bullshit. If that's how long term relationship life is, I truly am glad I don't have to endure it. Rafael, stop being a child and come here!"

"No, I don't wanna!"

His voice sounded defiant, even worse than Noah when he was denied more ice cream or a sleepover and tried to argue, and Olivia couldn't keep herself from voicing that thought loud enough for Rafael to hear.

"Go away, Liv!"

"I can't believe you two are arguing about shit like this and that you're getting this petty about this," Rita yelled into the direction of the living room, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You know Liv is right."

"She isn't!"

"Rafael, we can't ask your mother not to come to our wedding!" Olivia said loudly with a sigh, running a hand through her hair. If only this were a ridiculous dream, and not reality.

"Why not?"

"Because she's your mother, she's kinda supposed to be there, y'know."

"But it's also supposed to be the happiest day in our life," Rafael argued back, and Olivia now dared to step into Rita's living room, seeing her fiancé sitting on the couch, petting Rita's kitten with a pout on his face. "Liv, she wants some pink Cinderella madness. Have you seen the amount of magazines and plans she made?"

"Fine, then you tell her you don't want her to come," Olivia said, rolling her eyes about his overly dramatic behaviour, and Rita smirked.

"I'll arrange the funeral."

"It's not like I planned to tell her that. I just thought maybe we could… well… go on a vacation with Noah to some island paradise and get married there."

Rafael scratched Giorgio between the ears with a sheepish expression, looking at his fianceé almost pleadingly, and Olivia tried to suppress a chuckle. "She's just excited you finally found someone, Rafa. And well, I admit, she's crazy about weddings. But excluding her and our friends and family won't be the solution. I know you'll regret that sooner or later."

"And she'll make you two regret that, too," Rita added, looking a little too amused at the thought while Olivia sat down next to Rafael.

"We'll just have to talk to her in the right way, and be a little more patient, Rafi. We'll have the wedding we want."

"Your optimism is truly adorable, Olivia."

"Rita, you're not helping!"

Rita chuckled, taking a sip of her coffee, not bothered at all by the glares that were shot at her. "That wasn't my intention. I'm being realistic."

"Pessimistic would be a more fitting description," Olivia grumbled, squeezing Rafael's hand. "You're both not giving her the benefit of the doubt!"

"Because we've known her for so long."

Sighing deeply, Olivia looked at Rafael, attempting a smile. "Let's just continue planning and hope for the best. And Lucia will be on the guest list, Rafa. I'll talk to her alone if you chicken out of it. And… okay, if she really goes crazy we'll elope to Hawaii, okay?"

"And leave Fia and me to deal with the dragon? Couples are so selfish," Rita grumbles, but she was widely ignored as Rafael dared to give his love a hopeful smile, glad that she was taking his worry at least a little serious. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as he was anticipating right now, and as he trusted Liv to have the courage to confront Lucia in case of problems, he was ready to accept the compromise.


	178. Morning Chaos

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr

Prompt: chaos

* * *

 **Morning Chaos**

Rafael groaned when Olivia's phone started ringing in the middle of the night, waking him from an amazing dream including dancing enchiladas and the Yankees becoming World Series champions for eternity. Burying his face in his cushion, he listened how she answered the phone and talked quickly to whomever was on the other side of the line, hoping he would be able to go back to sleep soon.

However, while she talked, Olivia suddenly shifted out of bed. "I'll be there as soon as possible. Text me the address."

He heard her slipping into clothes quickly and then the mattress sunk a little on his side of the bed. "Rafi, I gotta go, it's an urgent case. Can you make Noah breakfast and take him to pre-school?"

Mumbling something close to an affirmation, he slipped back into the land of dreams as soon as Olivia left the bedroom.

OoO

"Rafa! Rafa wake up!"

A small body landing on his back pulled him from his slumber hours later, and Rafael gasped for air. "Noah, what…"

"Wake up, I need to get to school!"

"What time is it?" he mumbled in confusion, wondering why Noah was waking him and not Olivia… Olivia. Work call. Noah. Breakfast. Pre-school.

"Fuck."

"You're not supposed to say that in front of me," Noah said dispraisingly while Rafael jumped from the bed, checking his phone. School would start in half an hour!

"Don't tell your mother, okay? Swear words are our little secret, amigo," he grumbled while ripping his side of the closet open and pulling a chaotic assembly of a mismatched suit out. He could go home to change later, all that mattered in that moment was that he got Noah to school without being late.

"Are you dressed?"

Noah glanced down his form, gesturing at his jeans and t-shirt. "Yeah, obviously."

"We don't have time for sass now, Mr Benson. Is your bag packed?"

"Yeah, I only need breakfast. And shoes."

The little boy looked a little bit insecure about the last point and Rafael stopped in the motion of buttoning his dress shirt. Kneeling down in front of Noah, he ruffled his brown curls. "We practiced so much, amigo. I'm sure you can lace them on your own now. Wanna try? Then I'll make some breakfast. Though cereals will have to do. Hey amigo, I believe in you."

Noah nodded bravely and walked off to get his sneakers while Rafael finished dressing, only hurrying through the bathroom to comb his hair and brush his teeth. Next he went into the kitchen, pulling Noah's Avengers bowl from the cupboard and filling it with honey pops and milk, spilling some of either ingredient over the countertops.

If Olivia could see this chaos… he was sure that she would be disappointed by him.

"Okay amigo, here, eat. Ah, look, told you you could make it!"

Placing the bowl on the dining table, he looked down at Noah's tied shoes with a rush of pride. The first thing he'd taught Noah and it hadn't went completely wrong. While Noah spooned his cereals, he called them an Uber and checked Noah's schoolbag, glad that everything seemed to be in its place.

While they rushed down the stairs a few minutes later, Rafael said: "Amigo, can we agree on not telling your mother about how wrong everything went this morning?"

"What do I get for that?"

"Again, not the time for sass, Noah."

He opened the car door for the boy, then smirked. "We'll talk about that later, okay?"

"Deal."


	179. Heat

It's too hot today, so I came up with this ;)

I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

 **Heat**

The heat of the summer day had been so pressing that Olivia and Rafael had been forced to abandon their spot on the beach in the shade of a palm tree, but even the cool air of their beach house couldn't cure the exhaustion and lethargy the weather caused. Lying on the couch motionlessly, they watched TV and tried to avoid touching each other - the body heat of the other was unendurable.

"This isn't how I imagined our honeymoon to be," Rafael grumbled, holding his cool lemonade bottle against his neck. "It's not the kind of staying inside and lying around that I expected."

Chuckling lightly, Olivia rolled onto her side slowly - it really took lots of energy to move - and poked him in the ribs playfully. "Well, Mr Barba, I suggested a winter honeymoon in a lonely hut in Norway, but you wanted to fly to Hawaii."

"I'm Cuban. We don't go near the north pole, we're not made for that."

"And yet you're lying here in your own sweat just like I am. Doesn't seem like being Cuban protects you from being affected by the heat," she teased lightly while Rafael crossed his arms in front of his chest, a trace of a pout on his face.

"Oh, shut up, Benson."

OoO

Olivia didn't know when she'd fallen asleep, her head tilted to the side to rest on Rafael's shoulder, but when she woke up with a start, the atmosphere had shifted. A strong, cool wind came through the open doors and windows, caressing her heated skin in a soothing way and making the white curtains dance. The sky outside wasn't a painfully bright blue expanse anymore; dark, almost black clouds were drifting across it, and the rush of the waves hitting the beach had gotten louder, too.

A clap of thunder roared in the distance, the sound mingling with the rustle of the palm trees, and Rafael stirred next to her, mumbling something.

"Come on, Rafi, let's go outside!"

"Wha?"

"Wake up! It'll be starting to rain any moment! Time to cool down," Liv said with excitement, tugging on his arm when her husband didn't seem to want to move.

"Why? We gonna get wet!"

"And cool down, you coward. It's going to be fun, come on," Olivia exclaimed with a grin and got off the couch, pulling on his arm again. It seemed as if every gush of wind gave her the energy back that the heat had taken from her.

"If we die from being struck by lightning I'll kill you," Rafael grumbled under his breath when he slowly pushed himself into a standing position, trying to smooth down his messy hair, but Olivia didn't hear him. She was too focused on admiring the forces of nature that slowly rose, ready to show what they were capable of. When they stepped outside and slowly walked down the small path leading through the garden and past the pool of their beach house, the wind gained force, but neither of them minded.

Liv had been right - the wind was refreshing, and they filled their lungs with the salty air, enjoying to be able to breathe freely. A smirk flashed over Liv's face when she pulled Rafael towards the ocean just as thick raindrops slowly started to drop from the dark clouds. "Just as I had hoped."

"You're such a child. You don't seriously expect me to jump through puddles with you, Liv."

"You do it with Noah!" Olivia argued, closing her hands around his wrists and spinning them around a little. "Come on, Rafi. Don't be a hypocrite."

He made a show of rolling his eyes and making unwilling noises, but when the rain started to thicken and the surprisingly warm water ran down their faces and shoulders, he still pulled her closer, a grin spreading on his face and making his green eyes twinkle. "This feels so good after this horrible afternoon."

"And who suggested this?"

Olivia couldn't keep the triumphant undertone from her voice and Rafael chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against him, the position now a lot more endurable than earlier that day. "My wonderful, smart wife, I guess."

"Hm, that's what I wanted to hear," she replied before kissing him tenderly, a happy smile on her face. Maybe it was time for another kind of heat now.


	180. Take Your Kid To Work Day

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt

Prompt: reputation

* * *

 **Take Your Kid To Work Day**

"Rafi, we have to talk about that deal," Rita said as she marched into Rafael's office without bothering to knock, walking over to Rafael's personal coffee machine and pouring herself a mug before turning to the ADA's desk and stopping short in surprise. "Oh, hey Noah."

Noah put his crayons down with a big smile, letting his legs dangle in the air. "Hey auntie Rita."

Rita blinked a few times in surprise, taking in the boy's tailored suit and colourful bow tie before someone cleared their throat behind her back. "And hello to you, Rita."

Upon turning around, she saw Rafael sitting on his leather couch with a few files and his laptop, a smirk playing around his lips and making his green eyes sparkle. "I see you have helped yourself to my coffee again. And you already got to know my new junior ADA."

"Take your kid to work day, huh?" Rita asked teasingly and put her bag down, walking around Rafael's desk to inspect the picture Noah had been working on while sipping her coffee. "Your reputation will get damaged. You're getting soft."

"My reputation?" Rafael asked with a chuckle while Noah smiled at Rita proudly. "He's impeccably dressed and a hardliner like me. Tell her, mijo."  
"We don't take a deal, auntie Rita. Papí will fry him in court," Noah said with an important voice, looking up at Rita with the most serious expression he had, and Rafael could see her face soften even more. Who was loosing their touch here?

"Okay, mini lawyer. I guess I'll see you in court, then. I'm not giving up yet."

"I knew you wouldn't, Rita."

Rita and Rafael exchanged challenging stares, then Rita downed the rest of the coffee and grabbed her things. "I still have other ADAs to terrorise, so I'll probably see you for Lucia's sunday lunch. Have a fun day, Noah."

"Thank you, Rita," Noah answered politely, eliciting another big smile from the defense attorney just when Olivia entered the office.

"Oh Rita, I see you've already familiarised yourself with the new dream team in the house," she joked and nodded at the other woman with an amused smile before making her way over to her son, ruffling his curls. "So, how's your first day at work so far, hm?"

"Lieutenant Mama, I'm at work, please treat me like an ADA! How's anyone going to take me serious?"

Noah cocked his head into Rita's direction while giving his mother an urgent look and everyone started laughing about his adorable behaviour.

"I have nothing but respect for you, Counselor," Rita assured him as serious as she could manage, shouldering her bag and waving at Noah. "See you on Sunday, ADA Benson."

"Bye Auntie Rita!"

Once Rita had closed the door behind her, Olivia sat down on the couch next to her boyfriend and wrapped one arm around his shoulder. At first she'd been not so much in favour of letting Noah spend this day with Rafael, since the nature of both their jobs wasn't one that she wanted to expose her child to, but Rafael had changed his schedule so he wouldn't have to be in court. Instead, Noah and him would have an office day, with plenty of time for all kinds of activities that would make the day special but keep the reality of their work away from Noah.

"So, baby, looks like you already did some serious lawyering today. Rita seemed impressed," Liv said when Noah climbed onto her lap, wanting cuddles too. Rafael reached out and straightened Noah's bow tie with a proud smile, and Noah nodded.

"Yeah, because I'm really good at my job. Papí should hire me, I can skip preschool."

Olivia and Rafael both chuckled softly. "How about you finish preschool first and then decide if you still want to be a lawyer, mijo?"

Rafael winked at his son and Noah shrugged - he could live with that. "Now how about you go ask Carmen for a cookie? Maybe she'll even show you what she does all day. It's always important to know about how much someone else helps you so you can concentrate on the key things of your job."

Noah had been convinced as soon as he'd heard the word 'cookie' and he'd already slipped off his mother's lap before Rafael had finished his sentence. As soon as he was out of the office, Olivia leaned over and kissed Rafael. "You know how much I love seeing you like this? Being the super daddy and all."

"I do, mi amor, I do."


	181. Hips Don't Lie

Entry for _thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt_

 **Prompt:** reputation

Mariska teasered that we will see Barba again in Season 20. This is my idea on the only acceptable way for him to reappear ;) Well, apart from a full on Barson wedding scene.

* * *

 **Hips Don't Lie**

A big smile was on Olivia's face when she got out of the elevator on her floor, her purse in one hand and a bag of takeout, including a bottle of wine, in the other. She'd just dropped Noah off at Amanda's for a sleepover with Jesse, and now she was in high spirits about finally having a weekend for herself and her boyfriend. Since Rafael had quit his job, they'd barely had some alone time - first he'd needed some time to find himself and come to terms with what he'd done, then his job hunt had started, and the job had gotten quite busy for Olivia. Combined with Noah's activities, that had meant that either the couldn't see each other at all or only during Noah's Little League games or dinner.

But now, the difficulties seemed to finally resolve themselves, and Amanda's offer to take Noah for a whole weekend thus came at just the right time. Rafael was settling in his new job as a human rights lawyer with a New York based NGO and had a lot more time for them now. And thus, for her.

A whole weekend, hopefully spent in bed.

She could barely wait.

Excitement rose inside her when she unlocked the door, and she couldn't help but grin when loud music welcomed her. She'd rarely seen Rafael so carefree before, and the thought of him having no troubles in his mind tonight lifted her mood impossibly more.

Toeing her boots off, she set her bag down and sneaked into the living room - only to stop and stare with a flabbergasted expression.

Rafael was singing along to the music loudly - why hadn't she noticed earlier? - and danced in the space between her couch and the dining table, only wearing a loosely buttoned dress shirt and his boxers. His hair was bouncing along, and when he turned around his own axis once, Olivia could see a big, carefree smile on his bearded face. She couldn't deny that this wasn't only amusing, but also… well, quite exciting. The impressive way his hips were swinging along when he started the big finale of the song… she suddenly felt like it had gotten a lot warmer in the room.

At the high end note, Rafael spun around again, though this time he noticed her and immediately froze. "Liv, it's not what it looks like."

Chuckling lightly, Olivia stepped closer and toyed with one of the few buttoned buttons of his shirt teasingly. "Oh, really? Because I do think it _does_ look like you're ruining your reputation of always working and never letting your hair down and having fun, Mr Barba. Why haven't I gotten a taste of the full capacity of your hip swing?"

He gulped hard, obviously surprised by her words, but then he found his usual smoothness and confidence back. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he pulled her closer and said in a sexy, raspy voice: "Y'know, Lieutenant, I already stripped down a little so we won't waste any of our precious alone time. Seems like my anticipation carried me away a little."

They exchanged dirty smirks and Olivia popped one of the buttons open. "Just let me put the food in the fridge. Then I'm all for making the best of our alone time. And if those hips didn't lie we'll have a lot of fun."

"Oh, mi amor, trust me, they never lie."


	182. Finding Sense

So, I've noticed I've mostly seen fics after Rafael leaving where he disappears completely and stuff… thus I thought - what if he never left?

I hope you all enjoy this! :)

* * *

 **Finding Sense**

Whenever Olivia returned home these days, the impression of having stepped through a tear in the space-time continuum some weeks ago and now being trapped in a parallel universe seemed to reinforce itself more and more. Her best friend being on trial and then quitting his job, the thing he'd lived for and pursued with passion, had been enough to wake those feelings, but what awaited her at since the end of the trial took it to a completely new level.

"Hey Mama! We made stuff with potato stamps at school today!" Noah exclaimed as he ran down the hallway to greet her, excitement shining in his brown eyes and making all the stress of the day fall off her. While she slipped out of her boots, Noah proudly presented her a cloth bag with colourful animal prints.

"Wow, baby, that looks awesome. Oh, is that an elephant?"

"Yeah. I wanted one because of Eddie. Mrs Fitz said that we can use those for shopping, because plastic bags are bad for the nature."

Kissing her son, Olivia nodded. "Sounds like we gotta use this. Maybe you should make some more, though, in case we buy more."

"I made one for Rafa too, maybe he can lend it to you," Noah replied with a smile before skipping off to the living room while Olivia sighed inwardly, shrugging out of her coat. There it was, the topic that had turned her whole life upside down.

Rafael.

She followed Noah into the living room and was greeted by the same picture that she'd come home to for weeks now – Noah playing on the floor, a set dinner table, and Rafael Barba lying on her couch with sweatpants and an old Harvard t shirt, stroking his beard as if he hadn't noticed it growing. Most of the time, the TV was on or he had a book lying on his stomach, though he didn't show much interest in either of those.

Olivia had never seen her best friend like this before, and it pained her to notice how he seemed to be clueless about what to do with himself. His job had been his life, and now it was gone, he had no idea if he would be able to get a new job, he'd been forced to pack up his apartment to save money…

Yet, it also frustrated her a little.

He was Rafael Barba, for fuck's sake, the man who always seemed to find a solution… however, now he seemed to have lost all his fight, and was completely useless.

Well, she wouldn't of course go that far, it wasn't as if he hung around all day – her apartment had never been this clean, her fridge was always filled and a freshly cooked meal awaited her every evening.

But there was nothing that gave his life much purpose like the way his job had, and she could see him falling apart because of that. She hated herself for not being able to help him, because no matter how supportive she was, there was not much she could actually do.

"Hey Rafa."

"Hey. How was your day?" he asked with a weak smile, sitting up quickly and moving to get her favourite wine for her.

"Okay, I guess. I heard Noah gave you a bag, too?"

It still felt unnatural, but she'd learned that it spared him a lot of embarrassing stuttering when she refrained from asking him about his day.

"Yeah, with penguins."  
"Aunt Rita liked it, too!" Noah piped up, and a frown flashed over Rafael's face, as if he'd hoped that the topic wouldn't be mentioned. Olivia glanced at him in confusion as she sat down at the dinner table.

"Rita was here?"

Rafael fidgeted with the bottle opener a little, shifting from one foot onto the other nervously. "Yeah… it was nothing, really. She just had an idea for a job and… nothing serious. Nothing for me, not in my current position."

"What kind of job?" Olivia asked, raising an eyebrow – Rafael appeared as if he wanted to downplay something. Maybe it hadn't just been an idea, but an actual offer. After all, Rita Calhoun rarely ever approached people if she only had an idea; no, she was a woman who only proposed plans that were thought through and fully plotted.

"She, uhm… she recently met an old Harvard friend of ours and… he has a job offer. A teaching post, at NYU law."

"Holy shit, Rafael, that's amazing!" Olivia exclaimed, almost pushing her empty glass over when she jumped back to her feet and pulled him into an excited hug. "You're just the right person!"

"No, no, I'm not. Nobody is going to take me serious. My story was all over the news…"

"And yet he had an actual offer! Rafael!"

She felt like she was floating – this was a moment she'd been waiting for, one where she could actually do something. The job was a helper to convince him that not all doors had shut on him, and that he was still a great professional. If he wasn't able to see it right now, she would have to be the one to remind him of his old confidence, of his brilliance and his skills.

"I don't know…"

"Rafael, no. We're going to talk about this later, and you won't chicken out of considering this option seriously. I'm not going to let you continue to wallow in your negative feelings and let you beat yourself down. You had enough time for that! I'll give you a kick in the ass if I have to."

"Mama, language!" Noah gasped, shaking his head. "And no kicking Rafa!"

The little boy's words actually made Rafael smile genuinely for a moment, then he got a little more serious again. "What if I'm a horrible teacher?"

"You're not. You're just too focused on your actions in the past to see that they didn't change your competence," she argued fiercely. "If it goes wrong, you're more than welcome to lie around on my couch again, but please, just give it a try!"

That she wished that he would sometimes lie on her couch when she came home even if he had the teaching post and enjoyed it, she didn't say. She could tell him that some other time.

A glint of hope appeared in Rafael's green eyes, and Olivia sighed in relief when he nodded. "You're right."

"There was a time when you didn't admit that so easily," she teased, and her heart jumped when he actually smirked at her, looking completely like his old self.

"Don't get used to it, Benson. Professors are always right."


	183. Winter Nights

Next week is supposed to be really warm here, soo... naturally I went into the opposite direction, lol.

I hope y'all enjoy this short one.

* * *

 **Winter Nights**

Olivia hated winter as much as Noah loved it.

She detested the cold, the snow that soaked her clothes, the short days where she left for work in the darkness and came home in the darkness. No spending time outside, except for when it had snowed and Noah wanted to build snowmen in the park on weekends, always so many clothes to put on and take off… Also she barely understood the concept of winter sports. What was the point of freezing your ass off? She preferred her heated gym a thousand times.

And yet here she was, on a fucking ski trip, staying in a hut in the mountains because Rafael had said it would be fun. To her, it wasn't. The only good thing was that they had much alone time and she could always persuade him for a dip into the whirlpool of their hut.

But otherwise, it wasn't that great. She sucked at skiing, and also staying up here reminded her of one of the biggest factors she hated about winter.

Trying to sleep and being cold.

Grumpily glaring into the darkness, Olivia curled up even more under her blanket, cursing the person that had come up with connecting light and AC, so not only the light would turn off when you flicked the switch, but also the heating. And there Rafael had said these were high end vacation huts.

She was freezing, and no amount of tossing and turning could create enough friction to change something about it. They should have flown somewhere warm with Noah instead of deciding on a short trip without the boy.

"Liv, stop kicking me," Rafael rasped sleepily, turning around when she accidentally hit him upon her next attempt to create some warmth, and she glared at him in the darkness.

"I'm cold. We should have chosen the Bahamas."

"Here, take my blanket."

There was a slight sigh in Rafael's voice when he lifted the quilt he was using as an additional blanket, but Olivia made a dismissive noise. "I don't want your blanket."

"Okay, you're pissed. I'm sorry you're not having fun, Liv. Now we know what's not our kind of vacation."

"You don't need to apologise," she replied in defeat, some of the momentum leaving her. "I'm mostly pissed at the person who constructed this."

A squeak left her when her blanket was suddenly lifted and cool air hit her, but only a second later, Rafael's warm body pressed up against her back while he maneuvered his blankets over hers. "Can't let you freeze, mí amor. Better?"

"A bit."

Rafael chuckled and leaned in to kiss her neck while his body heat started to engulf her completely. His scruff scratched over her skin deliciously, and Olivia had to bite her bottom lip to keep herself from moaning. "How about this? We could do this all day tomorrow."

She hummed in appreciation, and closed her eyes, pressing into Rafael as much as she could.

Sometimes, just sometimes, winter wasn't _that_ bad. And maybe, but only maybe, she would be able to enjoy the next two days.


	184. The Best Part Of The Day

**The Best Part Of The Day**

"This has been the worst day ever," Rafael said grumpily as he quietly entered the bedroom, loosening his tie as he shut the door behind him. "Rita walked all over my evidence and was so damn smug about it, my coffee machine is broken, I got three new cases to handle for some colleague who's on vacation and now I missed out on pasta evening and Disney movies with my two favourite people because of that."

Olivia looked up from her book with a sympathetic smile, slipping her bookmark between the pages while her boyfriend rid himself of his clothes quickly. He was annoyed enough to throw the expensive garments onto the floor carelessly, but Olivia knew better than to comment on it. Shifting deeper into her cushions, she opened her arms for him and Rafael's shoulders relaxed a bit at the invitation. He pecked a kiss onto her lips before climbing onto the bed and resting his head on her stomach as he cuddled into her, closing his eyes.

"Is Noah disappointed in me?" he asked quietly, voice muffled slightly as the tension seemed to flow out of him with every second of contact. Olivia ran her fingers through his hair soothingly, smiling to herself.

"No. He was more disappointed in your colleague for needing vacation and proposed to reschedule pasta and Disney to tomorrow evening."

"Has his motion been granted?"

"Wholeheartedly. He had very convincing arguments," Olivia replied and Rafael shifted his position to be able to meet her gaze.

"I love you two so much, Liv. I hope you know that."

"We do. And we love you, too. Now sleep, you look like hell."

"You sure know how to give out compliments, Benson," he teased lightly, wrapping his arms around her a little tighter while shifting into a position that would be more comfortable for them both. He'd never known this kind of contentment and relaxing after a hard day of work before they started dating, and he didn't know how he'd been able to live without it. Without Liv and Noah.

Coming home was the best part of his day now.


	185. A Perfect Vacation

Seeing Mariska's photos of her vacation on Instagram inspired me a bit :)

I hope you all enjoy it!

* * *

 **A Perfect Vacation**

A content sigh came over Olivia's lips when she turned on the big white plush mattress, letting the Mediterranean sun beat down on her back now. She'd been dozing for some time, lulled into a state of deep relaxation by the soft rocking of the yacht, and she couldn't remember when she'd last been this unwound.

How glad she was that they'd managed to arrange this long vacation, she'd definitely needed it. Rafael and her owed Fin and Mike so much now for helping to make this possible.

Speaking of Rafael…

The mattress dipped slightly and a soft kiss was placed on her shoulder. "Want me to renew your sunscreen, mí amor?"

She chuckled at the seductive undertone in his voice and turned her head to look at him. "Maybe tonight, after Noah is in bed. Then we can do what you're just thinking about," Olivia teased, winking up at him, and passion flashed through Rafael's green eyes for a brief moment.

"Mama! Papí!" Noah suddenly yelled, and they turned around, seeing their son, who'd been reading a children's book about mermaids earlier, standing by the reiling, pointing out at the ocean. His brown eyes were shining in wonder and awe, and Rafael offered Olivia his hand to pull her off the mattress, their fingers lacing together as they approached Noah.

"Look, dolphins!"

Noah pointed out at the endless waves, and just a few seconds later, a pair of dolphins broke through the surface, gliding through the air for a second before diving back into the ocean gracefully. "There are dolphins in my book! They're friends with mermaids. Fia said so to, she swam with them before. Can I swim with them, Mama?"

Olivia wrapped her free arm around Noah, smiling softly. "I'm sure that would be fun, baby, but not when we're so far out. And you never know if they want to play with you, too."

The little boy looked sad for a moment, but then he nodded in understanding, remembering his father's lesson about wild animals not being toys. "But I can watch them?"

"Of course, mijo. I'm sure abuela and Fia are going to want to hear every detail."

"I'll draw them!" Noah said happily and ran to get his crayons and paper while Rafael pulled his phone from the pockets of his shorts and snapped a few pictures when the dolphins jumped again in perfect unison.

"I feel like this vacation is just getting better and better with every moment," Olivia whispered with a happy sigh, wrapping her arms around Rafael's waist and resting her head against his shoulder, letting her gaze wander over the endless blue ocean in front of them.


	186. The Black Dress

I found this prompt in a list on Tumblr and it was so inviting for some Barson sexy stuff. Might be continuing this, maybe not.

I hope you all enjoy it! :)

* * *

 **The Black Dress**

That Olivia Benson had perfected the ability to drive him crazy wasn't a new information to Rafael, however, he still underestimated just how much power that could have over him – an ignorance that had led to the definitely uncomfortable and potentially embarrassing situation he was currently in.

Why did she have to choose today of all days, when they both had to attend a function where both their bosses and all the brass from NYPD and DA's office would be present? Though a part of him still granted her the benefit of the doubt that she hadn't thought about what she would do to him while choosing her outfit.

"You're looking so flushed, Rafael. Are you okay?" Olivia asked quietly as Chief Dodds moved away to parade poor Mike around a bit more – the Sergeant looked like he would prefer a million nasty things over this.

"Yeah. Just… just need another drink, or I won't make it until the end."

Rafael could barely keep the edge of frustration out of his voice and she raised an eyebrow before accompanying him to the bar, holding on to his arm. "Something tells me you're not being honest."

He told himself that it was just a black dress, no reason to get all awkward about it just because it fit her so well, hugging all her curves and because her scent was delicious and her hair falling in curls around her face made her look even more sexy…

After the bartender provided him with a fresh scotch and moved away, Rafael let his gaze wander cautiously, checking if anyone was in hearing range before pressing close to his girlfriend, dancing on the line to inappropriateness.

"This dress on you drives me crazy. I want to hike up your skirt and take you right here," he whispered into her ear, voice raspy and low with barely held back desire.

Olivia smirked seductively, discreetly running her hand over his side, close to his belt.

"What naughty thoughts you have, Mr Barba. In public, nonetheless."

"All your fault, Lieutenant."

A knowing gleam passed through her eyes and she leaned in, her breath tickling his ear. "Maybe you should take me somewhere secluded, then. We wouldn't want you to have a… _hard_ time with your boss in the room."

Rafael couldn't get rid of his drink fast enough to grasp her hand tightly and pull her with him, making their way through the crowd while he wondered where to take her for a very private moment.


	187. The Hostage Situation

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr

 **Prompt:** hostage

* * *

 **The Hostage Situation**

Rafael Barba couldn't believe it.

The situation he currently was in seemed so surreal that it couldn't actually be happening, but the numbness in his arms and the fact that he couldn't move an inch without provoking punishment instantly reminded him that it was reality.

He was a hostage in his own home.

How cruel fate was to him... he was damned to lie on the couch, heavy weights pushing him down and killing any thought of escape, and as if to taunt him, the Disney characters that flickered over the TV screen laughed happily.

This was how he would end.

On a couch, stripped off his money - the cruel attackers had raided his cash reserves to order pizza and ice cream, and managed to deceive the delivery boy - and well, his dignity was gone, too.

Suddenly, the sound of keys turning in the lock of the apartment door ripped him from his miserable thoughts, but he didn't dare to call out. He really didn't want to find out what would happen if he tried to alert someone of the dangerous situation he was in.

"Hey Rafa... aww, have they fallen into a food coma?"

Olivia entered the living room, her gaze jumping over the empty pizza cartons and the ice cream container before it focused on Rafael, who couldn't find much adorable about the situation. "Liv, don't come closer, they'll catch you too."

"You're such a drama queen, Rafa," Olivia teased with a light chuckle, shaking her head as she approached the couch and pecked a kiss on Noah's temple.  
"I can't feel my arms anymore," Rafael complained immediately, glancing down at the two children using him as a pillow. "I'm not sure if I'm doing this babysitting thing right."

Kneeling down next to him, Olivia cupped Rafael's cheek, smiling softly. From her reaction he drew the tentative hope that he hadn't fucked up. "You're doing amazing, Rafael. Promised."

"Okay... but... can you take them off me now?"

"Nah... five more minutes. Also I need a picture for our Christmas card."

Rafael's eyes widened, but he couldn't move, wouldn't move and thus wake them, because secretly, he found the sight of the Jesse and Noah on his chest adorable, too. "You wouldn't dare, Benson!"

Olivia laughed under her breath and pulled her phone from her pocket. "It will be much prettier and adorable if you smile, Rafi."

"You're enjoying this way too much. Just wait until I'm not being weighed down by two kids stuffed with pizza anymore!"

Their gazes met and a smirk curled Olivia's lips. "I can't wait."


	188. All The Time

Once again a take on what happened after the episode we're not going to talk about. Ugh.

I hope y'all enjoy it anyway!

* * *

 **All The Time**

At first, making a clear cut had felt almost cathartic to Rafael.

A new job, with new co-workers.

A new apartment in a different part of Manhattan.

A slightly new style; he'd grown his hair and beard, allowed the grey to show, dropped his pride about wearing glasses, and was far more casual.

Leaving all the familiar things behind except for his mother, his cousin and his best friend since Harvard had felt easy.

Now he knew that it had just seemed to be like that, and that he'd been blissfully ignorant of the warning voices because he'd just wanted it to be easy after the hard weeks of trial and public judgments.

Lucia had helped her son move from his ultra-modern apartment near the Central Park into the old building in Greenwich, wondering if it could be healthy to radically turn his whole life around all at once.

Rita had pulled some strings to get him into the running for a teaching post at NYU, convinced that he was qualified for the job, but also irritated that he wanted to move away from practicing completely. They'd both always been more comfortable in a courtroom, after all, and he was just made to handle trials.

Fia had come along when he'd start to explore his new district, voicing her concern about him breaking all his old ties, and that she knew from experience that things like that rarely worked, that life could get horribly lonely without the people you were familiar with. And no matter how much he'd tried to concentrate on the new bookshops and cafés, he'd noticed that she meant one person in particular.

He'd ignored it all while winter turned into spring, and the early summer made the days longer and warmer.

And now he had to endure the backlash of his ignorance. Hell, he deserved it, and had to be thankful that his cousin was still there for him after having been dismissed for weeks.

Sitting on the fire escape in front of his living room window, they passed a bottle of wine between them – his glasses had gotten lost during the move – and he had to admit that he was feeling like shit. Fia listened as he poured his heart out, tongue loosened by the wine, waited until he was finished, and boldly as she always was, put her finger into the only wound that he'd avoided the whole time.

"Do you miss her?"

Rafael stared down at the street for a long moment, as if mentally preparing himself for the answer. To say that he missed Olivia would have been an understatement, downplaying the part that she'd taken in his life without him ever really noticing. It was as if a part of him was missing, keeping him from putting himself back together now that he'd figured out the new path.

"All the time," he whispered under his breath, taking the wine bottle for another big sip, wishing the liquid could just wash away the guilt he felt about ghosting on his other best friend. Olivia certainly didn't deserve that kind of treatment.

To his surprise, Fia didn't ask any further questions, just nodded. He had to admit that the lack of a suggestion of how to solve this disappointed him a little, but he guessed he deserved it. He'd gotten himself into the mess himself, now he had to clean it up himself, too.

Only that he had no idea how.

He couldn't even think of how to tackle the problem of the location, feeling like simply showing up at her place after weeks of silence would be a bad move, and so he let the issue rest again, even though he knew that it was bad.

Until he came home one afternoon and found Olivia sitting on the fire escape outside his window with two lemonades from the café across the street.

While he was still staring at her with an open mouth and wide eyes, she simply smiled and patted the cushion next to her. "That's a nice place you got yourself. Fits you. Less clean than the old one, more personal. I like it."

Rafael climbed outside like a sleepwalker, only the pain of hitting his knee convincing him that she wasn't a beautiful, enigmatic hallucination. "Fia said you're finally ready to talk, Rafa."

He should have known. But somehow he couldn't muster up the anger he usually would have felt for the people closest to him conspiring behind his back.

No, he mostly felt incredibly grateful.

"Liv… I'm so sorry…"

"You needed the time and the space, Rafael. I'm not saying it's okay how you just walked away, but I understand," she said softly, handing him the cup. "That café over there is great. I hope you've tried it out already."

"Just for a quick sandwich."

"Then we should go together sometime. Maybe after you come to watch Noah's Little League game this Sunday. I'm sure he would love their cookies."

Guilt rushed through him at the mention of Noah, and a part of him wished that she hadn't come. "I never meant to…"

"He too understands that you were upset and needed time."

Rafael blinked a few times to fight the tears that had wanted to rise in his eyes. "I'll make it up to you, I swear."

Olivia smiled, taking a sip of the lemonade while running her hand over his arm. "You know Noah's favourite ice cream parlour."

"Sunday. Promised."

He tasted the lemonade, humming in approval, and he managed to smile with true happiness for the first time in months. It was as if everything was slowly shifting into place.

"I like the new look, by the way," Olivia said after some comfortable silence. "Fits the new job."

"Thanks, I guess."

They exchanged smirks, almost like they used to all the time, but Rafael still felt unsettled by the fact that they had mostly been talking casually so far. "Aren't… aren't we going to talk about…"

"Not yet. You needed time, now I need time to process this new you, too."

Rafael rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, relieved that she didn't sound accusatory at all. "I haven't gotten used to it either, yet. And I feel like there's still pretty much of my 'old' me there, just… just with a new package. And more problems."

"I know," she replied casually, grinning. "But still. We got time to figure that out, and talk about everything. Squabbling at 85, remember?"

"I would never be able to forget about that."

"Good. Now drink your lemonade and then we'll go to that pizza place on whose flyer I almost slipped when I entered. Leaving your mail lying around, you're turning into a sloth."

"I'm relieved that's the only thing you're complaining right now," he teased with a chuckle, bumping his shoulder against hers, and he felt his heart jump when she leaned in for the contact.

She was right. They had lots of time to find a way to handle the situation, to work through what had happened and maybe, just maybe, to find a new position for their relationship in these changed circumstances.

And that was truly cathartic.


	189. A Good Use Of Time

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr

Prompt: shallow

* * *

 **A Good Use Of Time**

The sun was shining brightly from the perfectly blue sky, warming the tropical beach of the hidden bay below, making the clear water glitter like diamonds and the green of the palm trees more lush. It was paradise.

Olivia smiled softly as she watched Noah and Fia snorkeling in the shallow water of the bay, emerging from the water again and again to tell each other about the fish they'd seen. She'd never had a more perfect vacation.

"Isn't this wonderful, Rafi?" she asked into the direction of her boyfriend, but a snore was her only answer. Hadn't he wanted to read his book?

Out of impulse she poked his side, and a grunt escaped him before he mumbled in confusion: "Liv, lemme..."

"Isn't this wonderful, Rafi?" she repeated a little more pointedly, smirking at his sleepy face. "Didn't you want to read?"

"Yeah, but I opted for resting instead."

"What would you need rest for? We're on vacation," Olivia asked in confusion, raising an eyebrow, and Rafael smirked, running a hand up her thigh as he leaned closer, his breath brushing her ear.

"Noah and Fia will be going to the shows tonight before their sleepover. We have our suite to ourselves from before dinner until tomorrow morning. I intend to make good use of that time, mí amor."

He kissed her just below the ear and Olivia bit her bottom lip, closing her eyes against the wave of arousal that rose inside her. "That... that sounds like a good plan."

"I knew you would like it," he whispered, his voice raspy, and turned onto his stomach to continue his nap while Olivia got up and walked towards the water - she needed to cool down.


	190. Slow Down

Lol, I guess it's obvious the two days of heavy rain two weeks ago have inspired me, at least if you'll look at my other SVU drabble collections XD

Bear with me.

* * *

 **Slow Down**

"So much for your so-called shortcut," Rafael grumbled as Olivia stopped the squad car by the side of the street, a grumpy expression on his face. "I'll miss my appointment with McCoy."

"It's not like I can influence the weather and caused this fucking rain," Olivia snapped with annoyance dripping from her voice as she gestured angrily at the windshield. Rain was pattering down on it so intensely that it was impossible to look through it, and the sound filled the whole car so loudly that it drowned out the radio. She wouldn't drive any further in these conditions, not even with a pissed Rafael Barba on her passenger seat.

Yet, he didn't seem to understand that she wasn't exactly keen of causing a traffic accident. "You promised we would be back in Manhattan before lunchtime."

"Again, I couldn't predict that the weather would change like this. I can't drive when I can't see anything. In case you've forgotten, I got a son at home that I want to see again tonight."

The mention of Noah silenced him, and when she glanced sideways, a guilty expression was visible on his face.

"I apologise. It's just... this case, it stresses me out."

"I can tell."

"Of course I didn't forget about Noah. Or... or you. Work just... I wished I could have been around this week."

"He misses you," Olivia said quietly, trying not to sound accusing - she understood better than anyone else that work came first during high-profile cases like this, but she still hated this situation.

"I miss you two, too."

Silence fell over them, only interrupted by the rhythmic squeak of the windscreen wipers, and Olivia sighed after a few minutes of them both staring into space. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she shifted and leaned over to lay her head on his shoulder, inhaling his scent. How much she'd longed to feel his warmth over the last week.

Rafael wrapped his arms around her and pecked a kiss on her temple; Olivia could feel his body relaxing slowly.

And so they sat there entwined, listening to the rain hitting the windshields, stealing a little moment of togetherness in a chaotic time.


	191. Silly Surprise

This is inspired by the picture of Raúl and Ian Armitage sitting in a big trunk - it was really adorable :)

I hope you all enjoy this one though it's a bit messy :)

* * *

 **Silly Surprise**

Anticipation was buzzing through Olivia's body as she got off the elevator on her floor, pulling the apartment keys out of her coat pocket. It seemed a little bit odd for her to be so excited about coming home, but she couldn't help it.

Today, Rafael had taken a day off to move his stuff into her apartment to officially move in.

Since he'd been practically living with Noah and her for a few months now, it didn't sound like such a big thing - essentially, it was only the movement of clothes, books and some memorabilia.

And yet, a part of her was making her nervous and happy at the same time, as if coming home would be different now that Rafael had his whole tie collection fitted into their closet.

When she unlocked the apartment door, the delicious smell of Cuban food reached her nostrils immediately and she inhaled deeply, a smile coming onto her face. Quickly getting out of her coat and shoes, she felt her mouth water at the thought of the delicacies that were awaiting her, but then she stopped.

It was weirdly quiet in the apartment.

"Noah? Rafa? I'm home!"

There was no response; frowning, Olivia moved into the living room and over the breakfast bar, she could see Lucia Barba stirring something on the stove while Rafael's cousin Fia was having a tasting of Olivia's wine collection.

"Oh, Olivia, you're here, how wonderful! Darling, you must be exhausted, you had a long day. Sit down, sit down, dinner will be ready in five minutes!"  
Still immensely irritated, Olivia slowly moved to the couch, eyeing the big rectangular... whatever that took up most of the space next to the couch, a blanket covering it. Fia came over with a glass of wine and an enigmatic smirk while Lucia made some noise in the kitchen, yet Olivia thought that she'd heard some faint giggling. But she'd probably just imagined that.

"Sooo... what did you do with my boys?" Olivia asked carefully, taking the wine glass, but Fia only continued to smile; Lucia started to place pots and pans on the set dining table. A minute later, she joined her niece on the couch, and Olivia shifted awkwardly.

"Now... what's this all about? I mean..."

"Olivia."

Liv immediately fell silent at the serious tone in Lucia's voice, and a knot tightened in her stomach. By now, she just felt horrible - what was this about?  
"Now that Rafael is moving in with you, Delfia and I wanted to have a serious talk to you."

"Yeah," Fia agreed, her face twitching with the effort of suppressing a grin. "Y'know, now that you have him, no refund."

"Delfia. Focus!"

Fia rolled her eyes and winked at Olivia, something that soothed her nerves a little and made her a little more relaxed about Lucia's mysteriously serious tone.  
"Olivia, Rafael hasn't ever been this serious about someone, I hope you are aware of that."

"Yes, I am," Liv replied quietly, fidgeting with the hem of her blouse. It was a big step for both of them, after all.

"Tía, stop torturing her. I'm sure Liv is hungry."

Lucia shot her niece a scolding glance, but obeyed anyway.

"We just wanted to welcome you officially to our family again, Olivia. And well, celebrate that you're now your real own little family. Delfia!"

Fia jumped to her feet and hurried over to the rectangular thing with a mischievous grin, pulling the blanket off in a dramatic movement, revealing a very big moving box with a big bow tied around it. Now she definitely heard a giggle from inside it, and she almost started laughing at that point.

"Come on, open it."

Suddenly feeling a lot lighter, Olivia opened the top with a chuckle, and Rafael and Noah poked their heads out, grinning. "Surprise!"

It was so silly, but in this moment she just found it sweet that they had organised this little celebration and tried to surprise her with something sweet. "You're adorable. I love you two."

"We love you too, Mama!"

Olivia wrapped her arms around Rafael and Noah, kissing them both. Lucia sighed audibly, then: "So, now that you live together... when are you going to marry?"

Rafael and Fia rolled their eyes and Olivia met her boyfriend's gaze, smiling softly at his apologetic expression. Lucia would always be nagging them with this kind of stuff, but she didn't care. Being a part of this crazy little family was the best that had ever happened to her.


	192. No Escape

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr

Prompt: escape

* * *

 **No Escape**  


"Rafael, you have to talk with Olivia," Rita said in a tone that indicated just how fed up she was with his behaviour, and Rafael growled something incoherent. He'd thought taking a little spontaneous sailing trip with Rita on their yacht after a hard day in court would be an escape from all his problems, but his best friend wasn't willing to let him weasel out of the situation he was caught in, even if it was only for a few hours.

The summer heat had been especially oppressive today, and even now, in the evening hours, the sun was beating down on the surface of the ocean and theirs skin, but at least the breeze they were sailing on and the airflow cooled them down a little as they glided over the glittering waves. They'd both been longing to escape the thick air in the city, and so it had only taken a few texts between trials to agree to a little evening sailing.

But since Rita thought that to be the right occasion to remind him of the big mistake he'd made lately, Rafael found himself regretting the decision to go to a place where he couldn't get away from Rita's questions, unless he wanted to swim back to shore.

"I told you, I can't. It'll destroy what's left of our friendship. Whoa!"

He ducked quickly as Rita released the boom and it swung towards him; when he raised his head again, he glared at her. "Are you crazy?"

"No, but you are! Haven't you noticed how Olivia looks at you lately?"

"With disgust?" Rafael shot back as they sailed a curve back towards Manhattan. "I mean, how else should she look at me after I just blurted out... I can't blame her."

Rita rolled her eyes and wiped a fine sheen of sweat from her forehead. "No. With hope and these big brown deer eyes saying 'Rafi, stop ignoring me' you big buffoon! You told her you love her, it's not like that's an insult."

"Can we please just..."

"No. Stop being so blind. She wants you to say it again, just with a more romantic atmosphere this time."

"I'll never tell you something again. You start acting like my mother!"

Rita's jaw dropped and she shot him an exasperated look. "Don't you dare..."

"You're just as annoying and nagging!"

"I should throw you into the Atlantic ocean for saying that!"

Glares were exchanged, sailing being forgotten for a moment, then Rafael sighed, knowing that Rita wouldn't back up. "Okay. The wiser one gives in. I'll talk to her, but if she reacts badly, I'll make you pay."

Rita made a dismissive gesture, smirking. "I'm glad you're the more reasonable one of us because Liv will be waiting for us at the marina."

"Oh, you didn't…"

"Oh, I did. You can thank me later, Barba."

She gave him her 'I'm damn fabulous' grin, then turned back to the ropes in front of her. Rafael gulped hard and ran a hand through his hair; he hated that Rita had taken matters into her own hands, but he also knew that he had needed that push.

Though now he had to come up with a speech for Olivia that would explain properly what he felt for her. Hell, if only the heat hadn't meddled with his head, he would have been able to control his tongue.

A good hour later, Rita steered the yacht back into the marina, and Rafael's stomach started to clench when he spotted Olivia and Noah on the dock, the boy gazing at the ships with a fascinated expression.

"Rafa! You really have your own boat!" he exclaimed and waved at them; it made Rafael smile and soothed his nerves a little.

"Yes, amigo, I do. Would you like it if Rita showed it to you?"

"Sure!"

Olivia was nibbling nervously on her bottom lip while Rafael lifted Noah onto the yacht, glad that Rita had immediately gotten the clue that she was to entertain the little boy for some time. It was the least she could do after throwing him into this situation, after all.

Rafael's insides seemed to form a tight knot when he turned to Olivia, seeing nervosity and anticipation gleam in her brown eyes. Hell, how he loved those eyes. He couldn't fuck this up now. If only he would have had more time to prepare.

"Liv… uhm… I'm sorry for how I spoke with you that day. I didn't mean to throw it all at you."

Liv crossed her arms in front of her chest. "So you're apologising for saying that you love me?"

Cold sweat broke out on Rafael's forehead and he hurried to shake his head - he'd tried to avoid to cause that line of thought. "No. It just wasn't the way I planned it, Liv. We… well, though we didn't acknowledge it, we've been dancing around each other for quite some time and I guess we both wanted a more subtle approach to the subject. I've been planning to ask you out, to go slow… obviously my mind betrayed me. So I'm not sorry about the words I said, because they were the truth. I'm just sorry about the way the situation went. And that I yelled it at you in frustration."

He shifted from one foot onto the other, anxious for her answer, and a moment later, Olivia exhaled in relief, though she immediately tried to appear nonchalant, shrugging. "Maybe… maybe we could forget about your outburst and you finally ask me for that date?"

Rafael smirked, and their eyes met in that signature moment of silent understanding. While he was still annoyed with Rita for meddling, he was also glad that she hadn't pushed him into the ocean, but into the right direction. He'd been so worried about having misinterpreted Olivia's reactions towards him that he'd stalled, even though he knew that his feelings were being reciprocated.

In just a few weeks, they would all laugh about his sudden surge of cowardice upon facing love.


	193. A Suspicious Gesture

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr

Prompt: champagne

* * *

 **A Suspicious Gesture**

It wasn't like Rafael didn't make romantic gestures for Olivia in their relationship, but when she came home one evening to find him waiting for her with a candlelight dinner and the most expensive champagne that she could think of, it made her suspicious. He was smiling fondly, soft music played in the background and he was even wearing her favourite tie.

Something was definitely off.

"Rafael, what did you do?" she asked bluntly as she dropped her bag onto the breakfast bar, noticing that Noah's backpack wasn't there — obviously he'd gotten someone, probably his mother, to babysit so he would be able to use all tricks he had up his sleeve to soften her reaction to whatever he was about to tell her.

"Why are you assuming I did something you might disapprove of, just because I left work early to cook us a lovely meal and bring our son to my mother so we can have some alone time? Maybe I have very innocent motives?"

Olivia rested one hand on her popped out hip after turning to him, staring him down before gesturing at her Lieutenant badge. "See this, Barba? You only get this thing if you're really good at analysing people and being able to tell when they're fucking lying. So what did you do?"

Rafael's earlier confidence faltered obviously, and he shifted from one foot onto the other, fiddling with the bottle of champagne before finally talking. "You remember the quiet weekend we wanted to have? Pizza, movies…"

"Yeah…," Olivia said slowly, raising an eyebrow, and Rafael cleared his throat.

"Uhm… Rollins might have… kind of… eh… talked me into us taking Jesse for the whole weekend."

"Please tell me you're joking."

While Olivia did love to have Jesse around as a playmate for Noah, she'd been hoping for time to relax from the hard days of work. Jesse and Noah, when put together, could always come up with some kind of mischief that would disturb the piece. And no matter how adorable they looked during that, she just needed some chaos-free days.

"Rafael… I told you to never look her directly into the eyes when the weekend approaches! She can sense your vulnerability!"

"She looked so pleading… and you know how adorable Jesse is, it's not a burden, right? We're just helping a friend, and she takes Noah often, too, so…"

"Great. Since you don't see it as difficult to take care of two children, you'll take them to the park while I treat myself to a bath and good wine," Olivia shot back and patted his shoulder with a triumphant grin. "Now, how about you give me a glass of this nice champagne, hm? I'm definitely deserving this dinner."


	194. Family

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt

Prompt: opening night

* * *

 **Family**

Noah had a little bounce in his step as he walked between Olivia and Rafael, clutching their hands as they approached the theater of the New York City Ballet. His excitement was obvious, and Olivia simply couldn't stop smiling about how precious her boy was.

Lucia was waiting for them by the entrance, making a high-pitched noise when she spotted them. "Oh, aren't you the most beautiful family? Mijo, you look fabulous, like a little gentleman!"

She knelt down in front of Noah and patted his cheek; he smiled back proudly, glad that his abuela approved of his suit. "Do you think Fia will like it, too?"

"Of course. She'll be so happy you came to her opening night."

Lucia straightened and kissed her son's cheek before hugging Olivia. "Darling, you look dashing. I'm so glad you two decided to come, it's such an important evening for Delfia and we want to show her that her family is proud of her, no? Now, let's go inside."

Olivia felt warmth rush through her at Lucia's words, and as if he'd sensed it, Rafael's eyes met hers. She couldn't express how happy she was, how honoured she felt to have been accepted into his family just like that, from one day to the other, and from the way he looked back at her, she could tell that Rafael knew how she felt.

This, a loving family, was all she'd ever wanted, and he was the one who'd brought this happiness to her.


	195. Movie Night

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt

Prompt: betrayal

* * *

 **Movie Night**

Olivia sighed happily when she joined Jesse, Noah and Rafael on the couch, placing a bowl of cookies on the coffee table. "So, what kind of film are we going to watch today?"

Rafael smiled at his wife fondly. "We decided that you should chose today."

"Oh, that's nice of you. How about we watch this new fantasy movie with werewolves, what was its name…"

"Liv! Noah is way too young to watch that kind of stuff! He'll have nightmares!" Rafael exclaimed in exasperation, disapproval shining in his green eyes, and Olivia cocked an eyebrow. "And let alone Jesse!"

"He's not too young…"

"He is!"

"Papí… I'm 25!" Noah said, rolling his eyes, and Rafael whipped around, looking at his tall son as if he was seeing him for the first time, then a mock betrayal spread on his face.

"Why did nobody tell me?"

"You pull this 'joke' every single time. It's getting really old. Can we just watch the damn movie?"

"No, we can't," Jesse interrupted with a smirk while Rafael's shoulder's fell a bit - Noah used to find it funny when he acted surprised about how much he'd grown. "You will definitely get nightmares from that kind of movie and I wake up to you clinging to me so tightly I can't feel my arms anymore."

"That's not true."

Noah started to pout - just like his father was doing right now - but Jesse only chuckled and kissed his cheek. "We can watch something from Disney, Olivia."

"Movie night with you is always the same," Rafael grumbled under his breath and took a cookie, still salty that his joke hadn't been appreciated.


	196. Sympathetic

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt on Tumblr

Prompt: zipper & ice cream

* * *

 **Sympathetic**

"Ugh, that was the most boring function I ever visited," Olivia groaned as she entered the bedroom, throwing her clutch on top of the dresser; Rafael slipped his bookmark between the pages of his novel and put the book on his nightstand.

"At least you managed to leave early. Was the food okay?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Salmon, steak… not enough wine."

He listened silently how she grumbled on about Chief Dodds and other boring people, about the superficial conversations, about the little interest anyone seemed to have in actually hearing about what kind of support her unit needed. Getting up from the bed, he supported Olivia while slipping out of her heels, and then he pulled the zipper of her dress down for her. As Olivia peeled the dress down, he got her favourite sweatpants from the closet, together with one of his tshirts, waiting patiently for her to finish a rant before handing her the clothes so she could change.

"But you made it home now, love. And I warmed the blankets for you already."

Her brown eyes met his green ones, and after a long moment of gazing at each other, she released a breath, the tension fading from her posture, the lines of stress disappearing from her face. Rafael smiled, gingerly took Olivia's hand into his and led her over to their bed, pulling back the blankets for her.

"You're perfect, Rafa," Olivia sighed as she climbed onto the mattress, her words completely sincere. He pulled the blankets over her legs and pecked a kiss on her forehead, smirking.

"Don't say that before I haven't unpacked my complete masterplan for balancing out this work event."

Olivia's gaze followed him with obvious confusion when he left the bedroom; when he returned with a container of her favourite ice cream and two spoons, her whole face lit up. "You're absolutely perfect!"

"I do what I can," Rafael answered with a chuckle and got under the covers too, pulling her closer before opening the container. "I'm so glad I don't have to attend these kinds of parties anymore. Leaving the DA's office has more good sides than I initially thought."

Olivia scooped some ice cream onto her spoon and stuck it in her mouth, looking at him with mock scrutiny while the ice cream melted on her tongue. "I'm glad that made you sympathetic and not smug, Mr Barba."

"But only with you, mí amor. Now let me cuddle it better."

She giggled and snuggled into his side impossibly more. "I won't say no to that."


	197. A Chance Taken

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt

Prompt: umbrella, betrayed

* * *

 **A Chance Taken**

Rafael had vanished from Olivia's life as sudden as he'd entered it. After the end of the trial, he was gone from New York within two days, without a goodbye, without a word about where he was going and when he would come back. She tried not to blame him, to tell herself that he just needed time, but after many failed attempts to contact him, she couldn't help but feel betrayed. They were best friends, she'd been there for him through it all, and now all that they'd had didn't seem to be worth much anymore.

It took time to arrange herself with that, and with his absence in her life. No more meetings at the coffee cart, dinners or lunches to just talk about anything they could come up with to distract themselves from a case, no more squabbling. No more casual Barba coming to watch Noah's baseball practices on Sundays and lounging around on her couch afterwards.

No more chance to tell him how she really felt for him.

But maybe that was just how life was supposed to be for her - a string of missed chances, with some lucky moments in between. Olivia could certainly see a pattern there.

Like every time, she made herself cope. She continued to live her life and tried to arrange herself around the parts where he was definitely missing. The weeks trickled by, but it just didn't seem to be getting easier.

And all of a sudden, when she was stepping out one rainy noon to get lunch for her team, he was standing there, opposite to the precinct, under a Minions umbrella.

Olivia almost slipped on the steps leading to the pavement, believing that she must be losing his mind and start to hallucinate, but even after a good minute of staring he was still there, looking back at her sheepishly. The rain was beating down at her and soaking through her coat when she crossed the street slowly, like a sleepwalker, but she didn't care. A rush of emotion hit her, a wild mix of disbelief, euphoria, relief with a trace of frustration about his sudden vanishing and reappearing.

Rafael looked different, and yet like he'd never been gone - his clothes, though casual, were still carefully chosen and combined, his new beard and slightly longer hair neatly groomed… but the expression in his green eyes was different. She could still see some fire burning there, like when he'd stepped into the courtroom, but he also seemed tired and nervous.

"Hey Liv," he said quietly when she came to stop in front of him, burying his free hand in his pocket, and shrugged sheepishly. "I… I realised that I forgot to give you the umbrella back I borrowed after Noah's last game. And I still got the books… uhm…"

He trailed off, surprising Olivia again - Rafael Barba at a loss of words?

Her head was spinning; all she could think of was that he was back, and that it meant that she would get a second chance to do everything right this time, if she didn't let the opportunity slip through her fingers.

With a few big strides, she closed the distance between them and stepped under the umbrella with him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I missed you, Rafa."

His hand automatically came up to rest on her back, and a crooked smile lifted his lips for the first time. "I missed you, too. And Noah. I… I'm so sorry, Liv, I didn't know how to cope, and I came back to make up for it, because I can't live with the thought of having caused you pain and I also didn't like to be without you…"

Olivia leaned in and rested her forehead against his, which caused his babbling to die down slowly. Smiling at him, she inhaled his familiar scent, mingled with the earthy smell of the rain, and since she knew what he wanted to say, she simply answered: "I know."

He hesitated for a moment, then he tilted his head a bit and their lips easily met in a sweet, tentative kiss.

"Fucking finally!"

The voice echoed through the street, and Olivia briefly wondered if Rollins had known that Rafael would be here and had been spying on the from the window, but she also didn't really care.

All that mattered was that she hadn't let another chance pass by, and that it had been so easy to take it. Maybe because she couldn't let him leave her again, or maybe because _he_ couldn't leave her again, it wasn't important either, just that they'd both had the same thought, and no more words were needed now.


	198. Making The Day Easier

Found a prompt on Tumblr :)

I hope you all enjoy it!

* * *

 **Making The Day Easier**

Olivia sighed and took a sip from her coffee before resting her chin on her hand again and returning her attention to the screen of her laptop. Just a few more hours of doing paperwork and reading reports to endure, then she would finally be able to go home to her boys. Rafael was on vacation, and she felt a little jealous and definitely unmotivated at the thought that he could play with Noah all day. They were probably having lots of fun…

"Hey Liv."

She looked up in surprise and her jaw dropped when she saw her boyfriend standing in the doorway to her office, and Noah by Fin's desk, stealing the Sergeant's cookies.

"What are you doing here, Rafa? You're on vacation, you swore not to get close to anything work-related!"

"You didn't reply to the meme I sent you," Rafael replied accusingly, a tiny pout on his face, and Olivia rolled her eyes.

"I'm working, Rafael, I don't have time to check my phone all the time."

Olivia grabbed her phone and opened the message from Rafael, chuckling at the meme about pasta.

"Well, I realised that, too, and that's why we're here to ask you out for a spaghetti dinner tonight, at Luigi's."

Behind him, Fin was catching Noah with his hand in his cookie jar and made a show of arresting the giggling boy, and Olivia smiled fondly. Once again, she had the feeling that Rafael could read her mind.

"I would love that. Today isn't very busy, so I should be punctual."

"Perfect, we'll be waiting for you around six. I better go bail our son out now. See you later."

"See you two," Olivia replied with a light chuckle, and looked at her mail inbox with new energy while Rafael went to bargain with Fin; she could easily get the work done she had on her table, especially since she had even more to look forward to.


	199. Love Like This

I watched a documentation about a cruise some time ago and there was a married couple that reminded me of Barson XD So this happened :)

I hope you all enjoy it!

* * *

 **Love Like This**

"Liv, stop doing that! We have to paddle in the same rhythm!" Rafael exclaimed in frustration, glaring at the swimwest-clad back of his wife while their kayak slowly started to drift and turn with the tide of the fjord as its occupants continued their uncoordinated paddling.

"I'm sitting in front, Rafael, you're supposed to adapt my rhythm!"

Olivia half-turned in her seat, making the kayak sway worryingly, and the two of them stared at each other for a long moment. "Who pushed past me when it was time to get in the boat, huh? You! That wasn't true to the democratic spirit of our marriage."

She rolled her eyes and turned away, gripping her paddle tighter. "Stop talking, Rafael, and start paddling!"

"Stop acting like you can order me to do stuff!"

"You're actively preventing successful teamwork here, Barba!"

" _ME_?"

The wind carried their loud voices over the water, somewhat disturbing the peace of the nature surrounding the fjord and drawing the attention of another part of the kayaking group. While harmonically paddling along the shoreline, Jesse and Noah gazed over to where they could see Olivia and Rafael's kayak drifting and exchanged confused glances.

"What's up with them again?"

"I have no idea. I feel like they're dealing badly with having to share the hut with us and not being able to... ew."

Noah closed his eyes for a moment while Jesse grimaced at the thought. "Jess. Those are pictures related to my parents that I never wanted to have in my head."

"Maybe they'll be happier again when our hut is free tomorrow," Jesse answered with a shrug, causing Noah to groan, and she glanced over her shoulder, a smirk spreading on her face. "Then we'll have our privacy too, Benson. Don't forget that."

Another loud yell echoed over the water and the two of them turned their kayak a bit to have a better view of the scene. "Is she throwing seaweed at him?"

"Yup."

Jesse sounded a little too gleeful to him, but he decided not to say anything; instead, they just watched with great interest as Olivia flung another handful of a greenish, slimy mass at her husband, who dropped his paddle into the water when he rose his hands in an attempt to shield his face. Once Olivia had no more seaweed to throw, he suddenly started splashing water at her.

"Okay, I thought we were having a vacation with your parents, not with some teenagers," Jesse commented dryly, and Noah could only snort as Olivia and Rafael started an outright water war, splashing water at each other, half-yelling, half-laughing, their movements causing the kayak to start swaying again. Jesse and Noah could see it coming, and a second later the kayak did indeed tilt enough to capsize, throwing Olivia and Rafael into the water. A snort came from Jesse and Noah already wanted to tell her off for laughing instead of wondering if his parents were okay, but a Olivia and Rafael surfaced a moment later, laughing and pulling each other close for a kiss. It made him smile, watching them make fun of their mishap together, and Noah glanced at Jesse's back, thinking about how he hoped to find love like this, too.


	200. Treason

Entry for thebarsondaily's Weekly Drabble Prompt

Prompt: church

* * *

 **Treason**

If there was a person Rafael Barba was truly afraid of sometimes, then it was his mother Lucia. Of course, it wasn't the same kind of fear as he'd felt for his late father, but he would still call it fear. Rafael felt very negative about her unpredictability, about how she insisted on everything going her way and obsessed about all kinds of things relating to family. She wanted her son - and everyone she'd kinda adopted as her 'child', if they wanted or not - to have the happy family life that she never got to have.

And Lucia Barba being Lucia Barba, she didn't care if people had different opinions on that topic. She wanted a big white wedding and a bunch of grandchildren, and she had said wedding all planned out already. Probably since Rafael's birth.

And since Rafael knew that, he'd given everything to keep his proposal to Olivia a secret. They didn't want big or fancy, they were too old for that; no, they just wanted a small wedding with their friends and family. Rafael had suggested eloping, but Olivia had reminded him that Lucia would hunt them down if they did that.

Thus, they'd kept a low profile; Olivia was wearing her engagement ring hidden, they were careful not to discuss any plans with Lucia being within a few miles of their location, and Noah had to pledge on his pirate honour that he wouldn't tell his Abuela anything.

It was all so cautiously planned, and they thought they'd succeeded…

Until the day the door to Olivia's office was ripped open with so much force that it banged against the opposite wall and made the framed pictures on the wall tremble. Olivia and Rafael looked up from their lunch in confusion while Lucia positioned herself over them, her brown eyes gleaming in anger.

"What is that? How can you do that to me, to your own mother?" she shouted, and in the squad room, heads were rising and turning curiously, while Olivia and Rafael stared in shock and horror at the piece of incriminating evidence that Lucia was holding up.

"Where did you get that?" Olivia gasped, and Lucia threw the bridal magazine onto the coffee table angrily.

"In your bedside table! Were you even going to invite me? And what is this list in the magazine saying you won't have a church service?"

"Mamí, what were you doing in our bedroom?"

"What were you doing proposing to Olivia and not telling me about it, Rafael Filipe Barba?"

It was obvious that Lucia wouldn't let them address the breach of privacy she'd so obviously committed deliberately as long as they hadn't suffered sufficiently for the treason. Lucia Barba didn't forgive easily, especially concerning things that she deemed this important, and it would be a long, torturous afternoon for Olivia and Rafael.

Rafael felt like eloping and being on the run for the rest of their life would have been the better choice.


End file.
